A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Voelker family of Germany.
Reg. 6534 · German, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
plant thistleDefiance, and the defence of Scotland
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti d'arg. et de sa.; à un chardon au nat., br. sur le parti. Cq. cour. C.: deux triangles vidés entrelacés, l'un de gu., l'autre d'arg.; entre un vol, d'arg. et de sa. L.: d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1626
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Map of Germany showing where the Voelker arms are recorded
The Voelker arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1626.
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.
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
1619–1637
Reigning in Germany when the Voelker 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Voelker Family in Germany
The surname Voelker originates from the Germanic word folk, which translates to people or tribe. During the Middle Ages, this name often served as a descriptive term for a leader or a person who represented the common people within a community. By the year 1626, historical records confirm that families bearing this name were well established in the region of Bavaria. Life in seventeenth-century Bavaria was defined by the aftermath of the Thirty Years' War, a period of immense social and religious upheaval that forced many families to remain closely tied to their local parishes and agricultural lands. As the name spread through the German-speaking territories, it became associated with the sturdy, hardworking nature of the rural population. Because the name was rooted in a common noun rather than a specific location, it emerged independently in several different areas before becoming a fixed family identifier.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Volk
A Germanic term referring to the common people or a tribe.
This name
VoelkerAn occupational or descriptive name for a member of the common people or a folk.
also spelled
Volcker
Folker
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
plant thistleDefiance, and the defence of Scotland
plant thistleDefiance, and the defence of Scotland
