A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Tarka family of Germany.
vol / wingsSwiftness and protectionJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“un vol à l'antique de sa., ch. de onze feuilles de tilleul d'or.”
The Tarka arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit in the registers.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Germany in this period.
Reigning in Germany when the Tarka arms are first recorded.
In the Holy Roman Empire, coats of arms were often granted to individuals by the Emperor or his representatives. These arms were then passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants of the original holder. Younger branches of a family usually kept the same shield design without needing to change it, as the arms belonged to the entire lineage.
The family name Tarka has deep roots in the historical region of Bavaria, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1765. During this period, Bavaria was a collection of territories undergoing significant social and economic shifts under the rule of the Wittelsbach dynasty. Families with this surname likely lived in rural or semi-rural communities where they were involved in traditional trades such as agriculture, forestry, or local craftsmanship. Because surnames were often tied to specific locations or personal descriptors, the name Tarka may have evolved from a regional dialect or a nickname used to identify a specific household within a village. As the 18th century progressed, these families became part of the steady social fabric of southern Germany, contributing to the local economy and the cultural development of their home parishes.
A derivative of the Old High German word for a magpie.
