A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Winzer family of Germany.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à un buste de vieillard, hab. d'azur, au rabat d'arg. C.: le buste.”
The Winzer arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1650.
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.
Reigning in Germany when the Winzer 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 Winzer is a professional name that originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe during the Middle Ages. The word itself is derived from the Middle High German term *winzer*, which translates to a vintner or a person who works in a vineyard. Because wine production was a vital part of the local economy in southern Germany, many families adopted this name to reflect their trade or their role as caretakers of grape harvests. By the year 1650, records confirm that members of the Winzer family were firmly established in the region of Bavaria. During this period, the family likely lived in rural communities where the landscape was suitable for viticulture. As the family grew, they integrated into the social and agricultural fabric of the Bavarian countryside, maintaining their connection to the land and the traditional craft of winemaking for generations.
Latin term for a person who cultivates or tends to vines.
