A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Veit family of Germany.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Parti de sa. et d'arg., de quatre pièces. Cq. cour. C.: un vol à l'antique d'arg., ch. d'un pal de sa.”
The Veit arms were recorded in Nuremberg, c. 1765.
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 Veit 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 surname Veit is a German patronymic name derived from the medieval given name Vitus, which itself comes from the Latin word for life. During the Middle Ages, the name became popular across German-speaking lands due to the influence of Saint Vitus, a widely venerated martyr. By the time members of the family were documented in Nuremberg in 1765, the name had been established for centuries as a common identifier for families living in urban centers. Nuremberg was a major hub for trade and craftsmanship during the eighteenth century, and families like the Veits often integrated into the city’s active guild system. Because the name was tied to a popular saint, it was used by people from many different social backgrounds, allowing the family to settle into the professional and artisan life of the region as the city grew into an industrial powerhouse.
Derived from the Latin word for life or vital.
