A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Thurnau family of Germany.
Reg. 7769 · German, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'or au lion d'azur, cour. du champ, tenant un crampon d'or, cramponné aux deux bouts; le lion du 1 cont.; aux 2 et 3 de gu. au lion d'or, cour. du même, supp. un crampon pareil, aussi d'or. Sur le tout de Künsberg, qui est d'arg. chapé d'azur. Trois cq. cour. C.: 1° le lion du 1, iss.; 2° de Künsberg, qui est un bonnet de gu., retr. d'arg., accosté de deux prob. de gu., ornées chacune dans son embouchure d'un gland d'arg.; 3° un vol à l'antique, coupé d'or sur gu. L. d'arg. et de gu.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Thurnau arms are recorded
The Thurnau arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Thurnau arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
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.
Granting authority
The Holy Roman Emperor held the sole power to grant new coats of arms throughout his vast imperial territories.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal imperial grant or by proving their noble status to the authorities.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Imperial Chancery registers, which began keeping formal records of such honors during the Middle Ages.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Thurnau Family in Germany
The name Thurnau is deeply rooted in the geography of Upper Franconia, a region located in the northern part of Bavaria. Historically, the name is linked to the town of Thurnau, which served as a significant center for local nobility and administration for many centuries. By the year 1765, families carrying this name were well-established within the Bavarian landscape, often living as farmers, craftsmen, or local officials who helped maintain the social order of the region. During this era, people frequently adopted their surnames from the specific village or manor where they resided, meaning the Thurnau family likely took their name from the town itself to identify their place of origin. As the family grew, they became part of the local fabric of Bavarian life, contributing to the agricultural and economic development of their communities throughout the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Turon
Old High German term for a tower or fortified structure.
This name
ThurnauRefers to a person who lived near or originated from a tower or castle.
also spelled
Kuensberg
Kunsberg
Thurnau
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Hofmann, Hanns. Historische Namen und ihre Herkunft. 1974
Reitzenstein, Wolf-Armin von. Lexikon bayerischer Ortsnamen: Herkunft und Bedeutung. 2006
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
