A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Zenger family of Germany.
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 une force de sa., posée en fasce; au 2 de sa. plein. Cq. cour. C.: un chien d'arg., assis de face, entre un vol aux armes de l'écu.”
The Zenger 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.
Reigning in Germany when the Zenger 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 Zenger originates from the southern German region of Bavaria, where it was historically used as an occupational name. In the Middle Ages, the term "Zenger" was often linked to individuals who worked as bell founders or metalworkers, as the root of the word relates to the ringing or sounding of metal. By the mid-18th century, families bearing this name were well-established within the rural and village structures of the Bavarian landscape. Records from 1765 confirm that these families were deeply integrated into the local community, often working as skilled craftsmen or farmers who contributed to the regional economy. Over time, the name became a permanent fixture in parish registers and local administrative documents, reflecting the steady growth and movement of these families throughout the towns of the Bavarian countryside.
A Middle High German term referring to a meadow or pasture.
