A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wankel family of Austria.
Reg. 7354 · Austrian, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
Colours
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)
“D'azur à un rocher escarpé, s'élevant d'une mer agitée, le tout au nat., le rocher sommé d'un coeur de gu. ailé d'arg. C.: le rocher, sommé du coeur ailé. L.: à dextre d'or et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
AustriaTransylvanie, c. 1717
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Map of Austria showing where the Wankel arms are recorded
The Wankel arms were recorded in Transylvanie, c. 1717.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried arms.
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.
Region
Tyrol
Town
Transylvanie
First recorded
1717
Granting Authority for the Wankel Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Austria when the Wankel arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Wankel Family in Austria
The family name Wankel has deep roots in the mountainous region of Tyrol, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1717. The name itself is thought to be a diminutive form of the name Wanko, which was a common nickname derived from the name Johannes in various German-speaking areas. During the eighteenth century, families in the Tyrol region were often tied to the land through farming or small-scale trade in the Alpine valleys. As the family grew, individuals likely moved between these isolated mountain communities to find work or establish new households. This pattern of movement helped the name spread from its original home into neighboring parts of Central Europe over the following generations. By maintaining their presence in the region, the early Wankel family became a small but steady part of the local history that defined the culture of the Austrian Alps.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wanke
A diminutive form of the Germanic personal name Wano or Wanko.
This name
WankelA patronymic surname derived from a pet form of the name Wenzel or Johannes.
also spelled
Wankel von Seeberg
Wankell von Seeberg
Vankel de Seeberg
Wankel Seeberg
Wankel
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 Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
