A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Voigt family of Germany.
Reg. 0652 · German, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 d'azur à deux barres de sa., ch. chacune d'une rose de gu.; au 2 d'or au lion de gu. Cq. cour. C.: sept bannières, attachées à des lances de tournoi, la bannière du milieu d'arg., les six autres d'azur. L.: à dextre d'azur et de sa., à sen. d'or et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1687
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Map of Germany showing where the Voigt arms are recorded
The Voigt arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1687.
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.
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
1658–1705
Reigning in Germany when the Voigt 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 Voigt Family in Germany
The name Voigt originated as a professional title rather than a simple nickname. In medieval Germany, a "Vogt" was a royal official or a legal representative who managed land and administered justice on behalf of a nobleman or the church. Because these officials held significant authority, the title eventually became a hereditary surname for the families who held these positions. By the time your ancestors were documented in Bavaria in 1687, the name had long transitioned from a job description to a stable family identity. Families bearing this name were often integrated into the local administrative structure of their regions, serving as essential links between the ruling classes and the common people. This historical role suggests that your early ancestors were likely respected members of their community who played a direct part in the legal and social organization of the Bavarian countryside.
Voigt Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
advocatus
A person called upon to defend or support another.
This name
VoigtAn occupational title for a bailiff, steward, or legal representative of a lord.
also spelled
Voigdt
Voyt
Related arms
Voigdtvariant spelling
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
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
lionCourage, strength and royalty
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
lionCourage, strength and royalty
