A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wittenbach family of Germany.
Reg. 1296 · German, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De sin. à la fasce ondée d'arg., acc. en chef d'un lion léopardé d'or, cour. du même, et en p. d'un tertre de trois coupeaux de gu. Cq. cour. C.: un lion iss. d'or, cour. du même, entre un vol de sin., chaque aile ch. d'une fasce ondée d'arg. L.: d'arg. et de sin.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Wittenbach arms are recorded
The Wittenbach arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1765.
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 Wittenbach 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Wittenbach Family in Germany
The surname Wittenbach is a topographic name that originated in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe. It is composed of two distinct parts: "witten," which is an older form of the word for white, and "bach," which refers to a brook or a stream. This suggests that the earliest members of the family likely lived near a prominent white-water creek or a stream with a light-colored, sandy bed. By 1765, records confirm that the family was well-established in Bavaria. During this period, families in the region were often tied to the land through agriculture and local trade. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the Bavarian countryside, where their name served as a permanent marker of their ancestral connection to the local geography.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Witte and Bach
White or wheat and a stream or brook.
This name
WittenbachRefers to someone who lived near a white-colored stream or a wheat-producing brook.
also spelled
Wittenbak
Wyttenbach
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
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
lionCourage, strength and royalty
