A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Whitman family of Germany.
Reg. 4486 · German, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'or à un homme iss., posé de front, mouv. du coupé, hab. d'azur, ceint d'or, au rabat du même, tenant de sa main dextre une couronne de laurier de sin., la sen. appuyée sur la hanche; au 2 d'azur à une étoile d'or. Cq. cour. C.: l'homme du 1, iss., tenant de sa main dextre la couronne de laurier et supp. de sa sen. l'étoile du 2.”
Germanyc. 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
Map of Germany showing where the Whitman arms are recorded
The Whitman arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Whitman 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 Whitman Family in Germany
The surname Whitman is an occupational name that evolved from the Old High German words for white and man. In the context of eighteenth-century Bavaria, the name likely identified an individual by their physical appearance, such as someone with very light hair or a pale complexion. By 1765, families bearing this name were well-established within the Bavarian region, where they were often integrated into local agrarian or trade communities. During this period, surnames were becoming increasingly fixed in official parish and tax records to help authorities track citizens for military service and land ownership. Because the name is descriptive, it emerged independently in various villages rather than originating from a single ancestor. This means that families named Whitman in different parts of Bavaria were often unrelated to one another, each building their own history through local labor and community involvement.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
hwit
Old Germanic term meaning white or bright in color.
This name
WhitmanAn occupational or descriptive name for a person with white hair or a pale complexion.
also spelled
Wittman
Wyttmann
Whitman
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
knightChivalry and service in arms
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
knightChivalry and service in arms
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
