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Forster of Saxe-Gotha

Armorial Bearings,

Symbols and Mottoes

Locations of

the Surname

Internet Resources

Our Family History

Origins of the Surname

An Introduction to the Surname

The practice of inherited family surnames began in England and France during the late part of the 11^th century. Surnames were first utilized in the Germanic region of central Europe during the second half of the 12th century. The custom of taking on surnames began in the southern areas of Germany, and gradually spread northward during the Middle Ages. It took about three hundred years for this tradition to apply to most families and become a constant part of one’s identity. With the passing of generations and the movement of families from place to place many of the original identifying names were altered into some of the versions that we are familiar with today. Over the centuries, most of our European ancestors accepted their surname as an unchangeable part of their lives. Thus people rarely changed their surname. Variations of most surnames were usually the result of an involuntary act such as when a government official wrote a name phonetically or made an error in transcription.

Map of European Languages

Research into the record of this FORSTER family line indicates that the variations, meanings and history of this surname are most likely linked to that area of Europe where German linguistic traditions are commonly found.

Sources and Meanings of the Surname

Most modern Germanic and French family names are a means conveying lineage. For the most part, German surnames were developed from four major sources: (1) Patronymic & Matronymic surnames most common in northern Germany are based on a parent’s first name, such as Niklas Albrecht (Niklas son of Albrecht); (2) occupational surnames are last names based on the person’s job or trade for example Lukas Fischer (Lukas the Fisherman); (3) descriptive surnames are based on a unique quality or physical feature of the individual like Karl Braun (Karl with brown hair); (4) geographical surnames are derived from the location of the homestead from which the first bearer and his family lived such as Leon Meer (Leon from by the sea), or derived from the state, region, or village of the first bearer's origin for example Paul Cullen (Paul from Koeln/Cologne).

Most of the modern English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh family names throughout Great Britain have originated as a result of the following circumstances: patronym or matronym, names based on the name of one's father, mother or ancestor, (Johnson, Wilson). Each is a means of conveying lineage; occupation (i.e., Carpenter, Cooper, Brewer, Mason); habitational (Middleton, Sidney, or Ireland) or topographical (i.e. Hill, Brook, Forrest, Dale); nicknames (i.e., Moody Freeholder, Wise, Armstrong); status (i.e. Freeman, Bond, Knight); and acquired ornamental names that were simply made up.

The German surname FORSTER is an occupational and topographic name for someone who lived and worked in a forest. Its origins are from the Middle High German word forst ‘forest’.

The English name of Forster originated in Normandy. It is an occupational name for a maker or user of scissors, as derived from the Old English word forcetier as in clipping shearsThe English name can also be an occupational name for a worker in wood, as derived from fustre meaning a block of wood.

History of the Surname

Most Germanic Surnames from Central Europe have their roots in the Germanic Middle Ages. The process of forming family names in what is present day Germany began during Middle High German period in the history of the German language from the early 12^th Century to the 16^th century. The nobility and wealthy land owners were the first to begin using surnames. Merchants and townspeople then adopted the custom, as did the rural population. This process took two or three centuries. In most of the Germanic States of the Holy Roman Empire, the practice of using surnames was well established by the 1500s.

Surnames of the British Isles as we know them today were first assumed in Europe from the 11th to the 15th century. They were not in use in England or Scotland, before the Norman Conquest of 1066, and were first found in the Domesday Book of 1086. The employment in the use of a second name was a custom that was first introduced from the Normans who had adopted the custom just prior to this time. Soon thereafter it became a mark of a generally higher socio-economic status and thus seen as disgraceful for a well-bred man to have only one name. It was not until the middle of the 14^th century that surnames became general practice among all people in the British Isles

The concept of French Surnames come from the Medieval French word 'surnom' translating as "above-or-over name," surnames or descriptive names trace their use back to 11th century France, when it first became necessary to add a second name to distinguish between individuals with the same given name. The custom of using surnames did not become common for several centuries, however.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE SURNAME

The use of FORSTER as a surname in the Germanic speaking locations is first found Bavaria. Here the name emerged, in medieval times, through several notable families of the region. One of the earliest of these Bavarian families was the Forsters of Philippsburg, who were conferred noble status by the Holy Roman Empire as early as 1508. The von Philippsburg’s were also seated in Austria as well as Bavaria. Other Forsters of the Bavarian nobility were Johann Christoph Forster, noble (Freiherren) of the Holy Roman Empire. Johann Christoph was a Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church as well as Adminisrator of Gundelfingen an der Donau. In 1752 he was elevated to the title of Baron. The Forsters of Mantel were ennobled, in 1784, by Charles Theodore, Prince-Elector of Bavaria. The municipality of Mantel is now located in the district of Neustadt in Bavaria, Germany.

Other examples of the Forster surname in this part of the German and Austrian Empires are Johann Förster, a treasury official and legal advocate, in the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. In 1788 he was granted the noble (Freiherren) title of “von Ehrenwald”, by the Habsburg Empire. In 1757 Johann Leonard Forster was elevated to the title of Baron of Ezsenberg in the Palatinate-Neuburg. The brothers Jacob Wilhelm and Georg Forster were nobility of Herbsleben, then in the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, now in the Unstrut-Hainich district of Thuringia, Germany. This family purchased Hersleben Castle in 1709 and they remained seated there until at least 1810. There was also a Jeremais Förster of the Prussian Province of Silesia. Jeremais was ennobled by Frederick William II of Prussia in October, 1786. This Forster family held seat in the “Breslau Region” of the province that was centered on the city of Breslau, the historical capital of Silesia and Lower Silesia.

Records also show several Foresters who were commoners (bürgerliche). For example, Georg Forster of Germany was granted a coat-of-arms in 1620, for his service as an Imperial bodyguard, most likely to a member of the aristocracy, or a senior Landsknecht officer, of the Holy Roman Empire. Records of 1550 show another Georg Forster, a legal counselor of Nuremburg, a city in Bavaria, Germany. Friedrich Forster of Steyr ascended to the landed gentry around 1465. Today, the city of Steyr is located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria.

Some Notable Persons, Places, or Things Having This Name

Some of the best known persons, places, or things bearing the FORSTER name or its close variants are: Forster, New South Wales, a town in Australia; Forster (surname), several people with the surname; Forster Music Publisher, Inc., a sheet music publisher founded in 1916 based in Chicago; Forster's Tern, a seabird of the tern family Sternidae; Forster Square, Bradford, a central square in Bradford, United Kingdom; Bradford Forster Square railway station, a railway station near Forster Square; USS Forster (DE-334), a ship launched in 1943 that served as an escort in the Atlantic and Mediterranean during World War II. See also: Forester (disambiguation); Forrester (disambiguation); Foster (disambiguation); and Fosters (disambiguation).

More About Surname Meanings & Origins

GERMAN SURNAMES

Many German names have their roots in the Germanic Middle Ages. The process of forming family names began early in the 12^th Century and extended through the 16^th century. All social classes and demographic strata aided in the development of names. First Names (Rufnamen) identified specific persons. Over time the first name began to be applied to the bearer's whole family. At first through verbal usage, family names (Familiennamen) were later fixed through writing. Until the 17th century, first names played a more important role. The earliest family names derived from the first name of the first bearer (Patronym). Later names derived from the place of dwelling and location of the homestead. If a person of family migrated from one place to another they were identified by the place they came from. Of more recent origin are names derived from the vocation of profession of the first bearer. These names comprise the largest group and the most easily recognizable, for they tell what the first bearer did for a living. Another group are names derived from a physical or other characteristic of the first bearer. Finally, there are names that tell you the state or region a first bearer and his family came from; the age old division in tribes and regions (Low German, Middle German and Upper German) is often reflected in names.

BRITISH SURNAMES

Although the Domesday Book compiled by William the Conqueror required surnames, the use of them in the British Isles did not become fixed until the time period between 1250 and 1450. The broad range of ethnic and linguistic roots for British surnames reflects the history of Britain as an oft-invaded land. These roots include, but are not limited to, Old English, Middle English, Old French, Old Norse, Irish, Gaelic, Celtic, Pictish, Welsh, Gaulish, Germanic, Latin, Greek and Hebrew. Throughout the British Isles, there are basically five types of native surnames. Some surnames were derived from a man's occupation (Carpenter, Taylor, Brewer, Mason), a practice that was commonplace by the end of the 14th century. Place names reflected a location of residence and were also commonly used (Hill, Brook, Forrest, Dale) as a basis for the surname, for reasons that can be easily understood. Nicknames that stuck also became surnames. About one-third of all surnames in the United Kingdom are patronymic in origin, and identified the first bearer of the name by his father (or grandfather in the case of some Irish names). When the coast of England was invaded by William The Conqueror in the year 1066, the Normans brought with them a store of French personal names, which soon, more or less, entirely replaced the traditional more varied Old English personal names, at least among the upper and middle classes. A century of so later, given names of the principal saints of the Christian church began to be used. It is from these two types of given name that the majority of the English patronymic surnames are derived and used to this day. Acquired ornamental names were simply made up, and had no specific reflection on the first who bore the name. They simply sounded nice, or were made up as a means of identification, generally much later than most surnames were adopted. Source: http://www.obcgs.com/LASTNAMES.htm

FRENCH SURNAMES

Suffixes & Prefixes - While not in common use as in Italy or Sweden, some French surnames are formed by the addition of various prefixes and suffixes. A variety of French suffixes including -eau, -elet, -elin, -elle, and -elot, mean "little son of" and can be found attached to a given name to form a patronym. Prefixes of French surnames also have specific origins. The prefixes "de," "des," "du," and "le" each translate as "of" and may be found used in patronymic and geographical French surnames. Some French-Norman patronymic surnames will have the prefix "fritz," from the Old French for "son of" (Fitzgerald - son of Gerald).

Alias Surnames or Dit Names - In some areas of France, a second surname may have been adopted in order to distinguish between different branches of the same family, especially when the families remained in the same town for generations. These alias surnames can often be found preceded by the word "dit." Sometimes an individual even adopted the dit name as the family name, and dropped the original surname. This practice was most common in France among soldiers and sailors.

Germanic Origins of French Names - As so many French surnames are derived from first names, it is important to know that many common French first names have Germanic origins, coming into fashion during German invasions into France. Therefore, having a name with Germanic origins does not necessarily mean that you have German ancestors!

Official Name Changes in France - Beginning in 1474, anyone who wished to change his name was required to get permission from the King. These official name changes can be found indexed in: Jérôme, archiviste. Dictionnaire des changements de noms de 1803 à 1956 (Dictionary of changed names from 1803 to 1956). Paris: Librairie Française, 1974. Source: French Surname Meanings & Origins

Use this LINK to find the ethnic origin and meaning of last

names. Surname dictionary and

genealogy helps include names of Irish, German, English, French, Italian, and Jewish descent.

Variations of the Surname

Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to unfold and expand often leading to an overwhelming number of variants. As such one can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames because in early times, spelling in general and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized. Later on spellings would change with the branching and movement of families. The complexity of researching records is compounded by the fact that in many cases an ancestors surname may have been misspelled. This is especially true when searching census documents.

Spelling variations of this family name include: Forster, Foerster, Forstern, Forstner, Ferster, Fewster, Foister, Foyster, Fuster, Fuste and many more, (as noted below).

Spelling variations of this family name may be ascertained through the utilization of several systems developed over the years. The most prominently known are Soundex, Metaphone, and the NameX systems. Of the three we recommend NameX as the most accurate for family historians.

Click on the button to find the variants of this or any other surname by utilizing The Name Thesaurus a ground-breaking technology for finding Surname and Forename variants.

This useful genealogy research tool has identified 385 million variants for 5,929,000 Surnames and 26 million variants for 1,246,000 Forenames, as well as gender identification for more than 220,000 Forenames.

NameX matched 501 spelling variations of the FORSTER surname. The top 20 are:

Metaphone is a phonetic algorithm, first published in 1990, for indexing words by their English pronunciation. It fundamentally improves on the Soundex algorithm by using information about variations and inconsistencies in English spelling and pronunciation to produce a more accurate encoding. Later a new version of the algorithm named Double Metaphone was created to take into account spelling peculiarities of a number of other languages. In 2009 a third version, called Metaphone 3, achieves an accuracy of approximately 99% for English words, non-English words familiar to Americans, and first names and family names commonly found in the U.S. The Metaphone Code for FORSTER is FRSTR. There are 234 other surnames sharing this code.

Surname

Match Score

Surname

Match Score

Fforster	99
Foarster	99
Forester	99
Forsster	99
Forstere	99
Forsterr	99
Forstier	99
Forstter	99
Fourster	99
Forszter	98

Forsters	98
Forsteri	98
Forstear	98
Forsteer	98
Forstera	98
Forrster	98
Forestere	98
Foresster	98
Foresterr	98
Forestier	98

The Soundex System was developed in an effort to assist with identifying spelling variations for a given surname. Soundex is a method of indexing names in the 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census, and can aid genealogists in their research. The Soundex Code for FORSTER is F623. There are 3457 other surnames sharing this Code.

If The Name Thesaurus doesn’t adequately address the name you are looking for check out the following link:

Top 10 Tips for Finding Alternative Surname Spellings & Variations

Searching for more Information about this and other surnames?

Use LINK button to view our Surname Locator & Resources page.

Locations of the Surname

Locational Distribution of this Surname

Historical Distribution of this Surname

Locational Distribution of This Surname

Knowing the geographical areas where the surname you are researching is clustered and distributed is an indispensable tool in deciding where to focus your research. We believe that the “Public Profiler” website will open up to you a wide range of solutions which implement current research in spatial analysis. This site provides an array of local spatial information tools useful to the genealogist.

The information presented herein shows where the FORSTER surname is distributed within North America as well as in Europe the location of origin for this surname. Statistics show that the country were this surname is the most highly clustered is Switzerland with approximately 592.6 persons per million of population. The density of population in the within the United States is 44.33 persons per million of population. The top region in the World where this surname is the most highly clustered is Eastern, Switzerland with 1791.73 persons per million, and New Castle upon Tyne, England is the top city where this surname is found.

North America

Europe

Click on thumbnail for larger image

Click on the LINK to the right to see more information about the World distribution of a surname. You can

get greater detail for any of the following maps by clicking on the area, i.e state, county that you are interested in.

· Database of Surnames in the Netherlands

· Database of Surnames in Belgium

· Names Distribution in France

· Map of the surname: Austria

· Distribution of Surnames in Spain

· Map of the Surname: Switzerland

· Distribution of Surnames in Italy

Historical Distribution of this Surname

The main value in historical surname distribution databases and maps is that they enable genealogists to pinpoint the predominant location of a surname. This can quickly narrow down your search for a BDM certificate. Knowing where to look is half the battle to finding ancestry records; if you can narrow down the search field it can save you a lot of time and trouble. The core of historical surname distribution is that most people stayed within a fairly close locale. Concentrations of surnames are clearly visible on Surname Distribution Maps, and name distribution tables (along with an atlas) make it quite likely that the origin of that name is from the area of its highest concentration.

The following “historical locations” for the FORSTER surname and some of its close variant spellings have been primarily extracted from either Burke’s The general armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, Rietstap’s Armorial General, or J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial. These books were published in the mid-19^th Century and revised thereafter. The information therein is relevant to that period as well as earlier times as far back as 1500. Most of the locations cited by Riestap, and Siebmacher are on the continent of Europe such as Germany, France, Switzerland, etc.

NAME

PLACE(S)

Fortser or Förster

European Continent

East Frisia; Saxe-Gotha; Palatinate (2); Nuremberg; Bavaria (4); Austria (2); Steyr; Germany; Saxony; Prussia; Silesia; Görlitz; Galicia;

British Isles & Ireland

Berkshire; Northumberland; Staffordshire; Somerset; Warwick; Buckingham; Bedford; Lancaster; London(3); Middlesex; Sussex(3); Westminster; Shropshire; Oxford; Worcester; Suffolk; Ireland; Monaghan(2); Dublin(3);

(2) = the frequency with which this place occurs.

We recommend that you utilize our Tools for Finding Ancestral Locations. If you have an elementary knowledge of heraldry you may wish to use this practice to trace your founding forefather. For more information about this approach to seeking out your ancestral locations see our Using Heraldry as a Family History Research Tool.

· Great Britain Family Names - 1881 Census

· England and Wales: 1891 Census

· Scotland: 1891 Census

· Distribution of surnames in Ireland in 1890

· Family Name Distribution in Germany: 1942

· Nom de famille en France: 1891-1915; 1916-40; 1941-65; 1966-90

· United States: 1920

Armorial Bearings, Mottoes & Symbols

An Introduction to

European Heraldry

Gallery of Images

Descriptions of the

Armorial Bearings

Heraldry as a Family

History Research Tool

Motto(es) Associated

With This Surname

An Introduction To European Heraldry

The art of designing, displaying, describing, and recording arms is called heraldry. The use of coats of arms by countries, states, provinces, towns and villages is called civic heraldry. A coat of arms, more properly called an armorial achievement, armorial bearings or often just arms for short. A coat-of-arms is defined as a group of emblems and figures (heraldic bearings) usually arranged on and around a shield and serving as the special insignia of some person, family, or institution. Except for a few cases, there is really no such thing as a standard "coat of arms" for a surname. The rules and traditions regarding Coats of Arms vary from country to country. Therefore a Coat of Arms for an English family would differ from that of a German family even when the surname is the same.

The seeds of heraldic structure in personal identification can be detected in the account in a contemporary chronicle of Henry I of England, on the occasion of his knighting his son-in-law Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, in 1127. He placed to hang around his neck a shield painted with golden lions. The funerary enamel of Geoffrey (died 1151), dressed in blue and gold and bearing his blue shield emblazoned with gold lions, is the first recorded depiction of a coat of arms.

By the middle of the 12th century, coats of arms were being inherited by the children of armigers (persons entitled to use a coat of arms) across Europe. Between 1135 and 1155, seals representing the generalized figure of the owner attest to the general adoption of heraldic devices in England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. By the end of the century, heraldry appears as the sole device on seals. In England, the practice of using marks of cadency arose to distinguish one son from another: the conventions became standardized in about 1500, and are traditionally supposed to have been devised by John Writhe.

In the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, heraldry became a highly developed discipline, regulated by professional officers of arms. As its use in jousting became obsolete, coats of arms remained popular for visually identifying a person in other ways – impressed in sealing wax on documents, carved on family tombs, and flown as a banner on country homes. The first work of heraldic jurisprudence, De Insigniis et Armis, was written in the 1350s by Bartolus de Saxoferrato, a professor of law at the University of Padua.

In the Germanic areas of Central Europe heraldry spread to the German burgher class in the 13th century, and even some peasants used arms in the 14th century. A German coat of arms is usually referred to by any of the following terms; Wappen, Familienwappen, Blasonierung, Heraldik, or Wappenschablonen.

In the British Isles the College of Arms, (founded in 1483), is the Royal corporation of heralds who record proved pedigrees and grant armorial bearings. In Scottish heraldry, the Lord Lyon King of Arms in the Act of 1672 is empowered to grant arms to "vertuous [virtuous] and well deserving persons."

Although heraldry in France and the lowlands of Belgium and Holland had a considerable history, like England, existing from the eleventh century, such formality has largely died out in these locations. The role of the herald (héraut) in France declined in the seventeenth century. Many of the terms in international heraldry come from French.

Gallery of Images

Our galleries contain full-sized images of Coats-of Arms that pertain to the surnames of our direct ancestral lineage. As most surnames have many variant spellings we suggest that you also view the galleries of our other two sub-sites as they make have a surname that is similar or has a slightly different spelling that the one you are researching

Use this LINK to find images of many unique coat-of-arms in a wide

variety of surnames many of them not found anywhere else on the internet.

Descriptions of the Armorial Bearings

Descriptions of the Arms

The associated armorial bearings for this surname and close variant spellings are recorded in Burke’s General Armoire, Rietstap’s Armorial General or J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial. The additional information, presented below, is offered with regard to the armorial bearings we’ve identified from the aforementioned sources.

Crest - The word crest is often mistakenly applied to a coat of arms. The crest was a later development arising from the love of pageantry. Initially the crest consisted of charges painted onto a ridge on top of the helmet.

Wreath or Torse – The torse is a twist of cloth or wreath underneath and part of a crest. Always shown as six twists, the first tincture being the tincture of the field, the second the tincture of the metal, and so on.

Mantling – The mantling is a drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield.

Helm or Helmet - The helmet or helm is situated above the shield and bears the torse and crest. The style of helmet displayed varies according to rank and social status, and these styles developed over time, in step with the development of actual military helmets.

Shield or Arms - The basis of all coats of arms. At their simplest, arms consist of a shield with a plain field on which appears a geometrical shape or object. The items appearing on the shield are known as charges.

Motto - The motto was originally a war cry, but later mottoes often expressed some worthy sentiment. It may appear at the top or bottom of a family coat of arms.

When reading the following descriptions of these armorial bearings you may come across a term that you would like to know more about.

As such we recommend you utilize this LINK BUTTON to locate additional information within the classic resource book originally published by James Parker and Company in 1894.

In addition to an image of the selected Armorial Bearings, presented below, we have divided each into three specific areas of content. They are:

About the Proprietor: A coat-of-arms design is usually granted only to a single person not to an entire family or to a particular surname. Coats of arms are inheritable property, and they generally descend to male lineal descendents of the original arms grantee. Therefore the descriptive narratives below generally refer to this person as the “proprietor”. The information given within the category primarily focuses upon the name of the proprietor, when the armorial bearings were granted, and by whom, as well as where he was seated.

Blazoning the Arms: In heraldry a blazon is a formal description of the coat of arms, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. Primarily our blazons will focus upon a description of the shield, crest and mantling, as well as a motto, if known. We attempt to construct our blazons utilizing current-day terminology for better comprehension.

Interpreting the Arms: Heraldry symbols such as the colors, lines and shapes found on coats-of-arms are generally referred to as charges. Although there is some debate over whether or not the charges have any universal symbolism many persons do believe they may represent an idea or skill of the person who originally had the armorial bearings created. If this assumption has any validity charges may provide clues to early family history of that person.

Forster of Germany

Forster of Great Britain

Forster of East Frisia

Förster von Ehrenwald

Forster of Northumberland

Forster of Nuremberg

Forster of Palatinate-Neuberg

Forster of Saxe-Gotha

Forster von Philippsburg

Forster von Mantel

Forster zu Steyr

Forster of Coolderry

Forster of Sussex

Förster of Silesia

Forster of Germany

LINK to full-size image

About the Proprietor: These armorial bearings have been attributed to Georg Forster, a Commoner (Bürgerliche), of Germany. They were granted to him, in 1620, for his service as an Imperial bodyguard (trabant), most likely to a member of the aristocracy, or a senior Landsknecht officer, of the Holy Roman Empire.

Blazoning the Arms: The shield has been partitioned fesse-wise. The top is gold and contains the forepart of a natural bear shown above a horizontal division of the shield. The bear’s paw is grasping five green leaf-less stalks. The base is red with two white bends. Above a crowned helmet, the crest features the same bear. The mantling is gold and black on the dexter, white and red on the sinister side. See an original ancient image from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial

Interpreting the Arms: The bear seen in these arms symbolizes the occupation of the aforementioned proprietor. This animal was thought to possess diplomacy equal to its great strength and it is the emblem of ferocity in the protection of kindred. It is also a symbol of healing and personal health, strength and bravery.

Forster of Great Britain

LINK to full-size image

About the Proprietor: According to Burke’s General Armoire these arms belong to a Forster of Great Britain.

Blazoning the Arms: The shield is described a being blue with a gold cross moline between four crosses pattee each in the four corner fields. There is no description of any crest that might accompany the arms. The mantling that would accompany the arms is not explained.

Interpreting the Arms: The fact that the cross moline is displayed at the center of the shield may indicate a mark of cadency indicating the proprietor was an eighth son. This heraldic charge also symbolizes the mutual converse of human society, and is said to represent a millstone. The cross pattée is an emblem of military honor. As such one may conclude that the proprietor was an officer in the British military. This cross is often associated with the Crusades and was sometimes used by the Teutonic Knights.

Forster of East Frisia

LINK to full-size image

About the Proprietor: This coat-of-arms is explained in Rietstap’s Armorial General, and ascribed to a Forster of East Frisia a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony. A similar coat-of-arms was granted in 1583, to Lieutenant Christoph Forster. As such one might theorize a connection to the same family lineage. To compare see an original ancient image from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial.

Blazoning the Arms: A red shield contains a silver tree limb stump in fesse between three silver clovers two up and one down. The crest is a bird surrounded by three trefoils between two tree branch stumps, all silver. The mantling is most probably silver and red.

Interpreting the Arms: A tree stump may be used as a symbol of re-growth and rebirth, especially when it is borne with branches spouting new leaves. A trefoil, or a symbol of a three-leafed clover, represents the perpetuity of the past, present and future. It is also often used as a symbol of fertility and abundance. The trefoil is derived from the shamrock, which, according to legend, was chose sans an emblem of Ireland because it was used by St. Patrick to illustrate the concept of the Holy Trinity.

Förster von Ehrenwald

Forster von Ehrenwald copy

LINK to full-size image

About the Proprietor: These armorial bearings belonged to Johann Förster, a treasury official and legal advocate, in the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria. In 1788 he was granted the noble (Freiherren) title of “von Ehrenwald”, by the Habsburg Empire.

Blazoning the Arms: This coat-of-arms is described in Rietstap’s Armorial General as a blue shield with a silver fesse with a gold hive surrounded by bees in chief and in base a copse of trees on a green mound next to a lumberjack dressed in green wearing a hat holding a black silver ax on his shoulder all supported a green mound. The crest shows the lumberjack issuant. See an original ancient image from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial.

Interpreting the Arms: The bee and hive depicted in the chief may have been utilized by the proprietor as a sign of his industry, creativity, wealth, diligence and eloquence. As a heraldic charge, the bee is also used to represent well-governed industry. In the base of the arms the proprietor may have included the trees and woodcutter in an attempt to recognize his of his ancestors, humble origins. The tree is a symbol of antiquity and strength. Trees allude to home or property, and they are also generally considered a symbol of life and strength.

Forster of Northumberland

LINK to full-size image

About the Proprietor: These arms are representative of the Forster nobility seated in Northumberland, England. These arms have been attributed to Forster of Alnwick. Others had the same arms with different crests such as Forster of Bamborough Castle, and Forster of Brunton Hall.

Blazoning the Arms: The blazoning of these arms is described in Burke’s General Armoire as having a silver or white shield with a green chevron between three black bugle horns stringed red. The crest shows a buck standing. Other examples of different crests with these arms are: Forster of Brunton Hall, a bugle horn; and Forster Bamborough Castle, an arm in armor holding a broken tilting gold spear.

Interpreting the Arms: The stag has a variety of symbolic meanings. It may indicate a person who foresees opportunities well, and it is a symbol used for one who is unwilling to assail enemies rashly, who would rather stand his own ground that harm another wrongfully, and one who will not fight unless provoked. Hunting Horn represents one who is fond of the chase, of high pursuits. Both of the aforementioned heraldic charges may also refer back to the Baronetcy of the Forsters of Bamborough Castle, Northumberland, which dates back to the early 15th Century, when Sir John Forster was a warden of the Marches, and Sheriff of Northumberland.

Forster of Nuremberg

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About the Proprietor: According to J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial these armorial bearings were granted, in 1550, to Georg Forster, a legal counselor, and a Commoner (Bürgerliche), of Nuremburg, a city in Bavaria, Germany.

Blazoning the Arms: The gold shield contains a black hunting horn. The crest features the same hunting horn. See an original ancient image from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial.

Interpreting the Arms: The color gold indicates generosity and elevation of the mind. Black generally symbolizes constancy or grief. The hunting horn, also called a bugle horn, represents one who is fond of the chase, of high pursuits. Based upon these heraldic charges one might assume that Georg Forster, a legal counselor, and a commoner, considers himself a generous, well-educated person who is constantly pursuing a better position in life.

Forster of Palatinate-Neuberg

Forster of Palatinate

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About the Proprietor: These are the armorial bearings granted, in 1746 (according to Siebmacher) to Johann Christop Forster, noble (Freiherren) of the Holy Roman Empire. Johann Christoph was a Bishop of the Roman Catholic Church as well as Adminisrator of Gundelfingen an der Donau. According to Rietstap he was elevated to the title of Baron in 1752. In 1754 his brother Johann Leonard Forster also became a noble of the Empire and is represented by these same arms. In 1757 Johann Leonard was elevated to the title of Baron of Ezsenberg in the Palatinate-Neuburg. Rietstap’s Armorial General cites the arms of both men separately as it appears that upon becoming Barons they each created new arms that were different.

Blazoning the Arms: The shield is blue in chief, silver in the base and has a red fesse. In the chief, on a green mound, is a silver lark holding an olive branch in its beak In the base is a natural deer collared coming out of a green grove. The crest has a crown surmounted by a half-flight of silver on which is a gold hawk lure. The mantling is red and silver or white. See an original ancient image from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial.

Interpreting the Arms: A Hawk or Falcon’s lure, as seen in the crest of thise coat-of-arms, indicates one who was fond of noble pursuits, such as hunting and falconry. The lure was constructed using a pair of wings, fashioned to resemble a bird. It was thrown up into the air to help retrieve the falcon, or hawk when it had flown too far afield after the quarry. It symbolizes a signal used to recall the absent from afar.

Forster of Saxe-Gotha

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About the Proprietor: Siebmachers Wappenbuch attributes these armorial bearings to the brothers Jacob Wilhelm and Georg Forster nobility of Herbsleben, then in the Duchy of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, now in the Unstrut-Hainich district of Thuringia, Germany. The brothers purchased Hersleben Castle in 1709 and the family remained seated there until at least 1810.

Blazoning the Arms: The shield is partitioned quarterly. The 1st and 4th quarters are blue each containing branch of golden oak. The 2nd and 3^rd quarters are banded two each blue and silver. The crest features a crown surmounted by three ostrich feathers of silver blue and gold. The mantling is silver and blue on the dexter (right) side, gold and blue on the sinister (left) side. See an original ancient image from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial.

Interpreting the Arms: The partitioned shield and mantling indicate that these armorial bearings represent two different entities, probably a union of the aforementioned Forster brothers. The blue-gold part contains a golden oak branch with leave may indicate the proprietor’s strength and heroism in victory. The most significant feature in the opposite partition is the blue and silver bends. Like the aforementioned partition these apply to a military theme. Bends symbolize the scarf or shield suspender of a knight commander thus signifying defense or protection.

Forster von Philippsburg

Forester von Phillipsburg

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About the Proprietor: These armorial bearings were bestowed upon Forster von Philippsburg, in 1823, by King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria. The von Philippsburg’s were an old noble family seated in Austria as well as Bavaria. They were conferred noble status by the Holy Roman Empire as early as 1508.

Blazoning the Arms: The shield is partitioned quarterly. The 1^st and 4^th quarters are red with two silver bands. The 2^nd and 3^rd quarters are black each holding a golden deer. The crest shows a crown surmounted by a black and gold hunting horn and a natural oak branch both surrounded by two wings. The dexter wing with two red bands and the sinister with two black bands. The mantling is gold and black on the dexter, silver and red on the sinister side. See an original ancient image from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial.

Interpreting the Arms: The partitioned shield and mantling indicated that these armorial bearings represent union of two different entities. The black-gold part contains a gold deer a heraldic charge having a variety of symbolic meanings. It may indicate a person who foresees opportunities well or one who is unwilling to assail enemies rashly, who would rather stand his own ground that harm another wrongfully, and one who will not fight unless provoked. In addition the deer or stag was associated with healing, for he knew which medicinal plants to take in order to shake off the hunter’s arrow. The person bearing this symbol was considered impervious to weapons. The most significant feature in the opposite partition is the red and silver bends. The bends, of the other partition, symbolize the scarf or shield suspender of a knight commander thus signifying defense or protection. As they are silver and red it may indicate that the proprietor perceives himself as strong magnanimous warrior who values peace and the virtue of sincerity.

Forster von Mantel

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About the Proprietor: Forster von Mantel was ennobled, in 1784, by Charles Theodore, Prince-Elector of Bavaria. The municipality of Mantel is now located in the district of Neustadt in Bavaria, Germany.

Blazoning the Arms: A blue shield holds a black grouse, (wings elevated), on two black nails, (in saltire), at the base and three silver stars in the chief. The crest has a crown surmounted by a natural stag issuant. The mantling is blue and black. See an original ancient image from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial.

Interpreting the Arms: The grouse generally signifies an association with the law or the legal profession. It is also referred to as a “moorcock” or “coot” in British heraldry. The nails, especially when in saltire, may represent the “passion of Christ”. The star symbolizes honor, achievement and hope.

Forster zu Steyr

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About the Proprietor: This coat-of-arms belonged to a Friedrich Forster of Steyr who ascended to the landed gentry around 1465. According to Rietstap’s Armorial General names the location of this Forster as Styria most likely because the city and its surrounding locales were within the Duchy of Styria . Today, the city of Steyr is located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria.

Blazoning the Arms: The shield is silver and contains three green poplar trees each on a mount of the same color. The crest shows a green poplar tree. The mantling is silver and black. See an original ancient image of the 1498 coat-of-arms as well the 1360 arms of another Forster of Steyr from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial.

Interpreting the Arms: The only charge used in the design of these arms is the poplar tree. The tree generally used in heraldry to indicate life, antiquity or strength. Also the use of trees may refer to a characteristic of the land held by the proprietor, may be the case with these arms.

Forster of Coolderry

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About the Proprietor: These are the arms of the Barons Forster of Coolderry, County Monaghan, Ireland. The Baronetage was created in 1794 for Sir Thomas Forster, 1st Baronet (1751–1843). He was followed by Sir George Forster, 2nd Baronet (1796–1876), Sir Thomas Oriel Forster, 3rd Baronet (1824–1895), and Sir Robert Forster, 4th Baronet (1827–1904).

Blazoning the Arms: The shield is black with silver chevron of ermine between three pheons points down, 2 in chief 1 in base. The crest features an arm embowed in armor, the hand bare, grasping the butt end of a broken spear. The motto that accompanies the arms is “Audoces fortuna juvat.”

Interpreting the Arms: The pheon as a heraldic charge represents the head of a dart, barbed, and engrailed on the inner side. Its position is usually with the point downward, as with these arms. The pheon symbolizes dexterity and nimble wit, as well as readiness for battle. Though the spear, the spearhead, and the broken spear are all very similar devices, they each have a distinct symbolic meaning. The broken spear, in the crest of these armorial bearings, is a symbol of peace.

Forster of Sussex

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About the Proprietor: These armorial bearings were granted by King James I, in 1604, to Sir Thomas Foster, 1548–1612, of Battle in Sussex, England. Forester was a noted Justice of the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster.

Blazoning the Arms: The arms feature a silver shield with a black bend (engrailed), on which are three golden bucks' heads (cabossed). The crest is a gold talbot's head (erased), collared and ringed with red.

Interpreting the Arms: The color black means constancy, an engrailed line symbolizes the land, and a bend signifies defense or protection. The talbot speaks of a man who prizes the virtues of courage, vigilance, and loyalty. Thus one may conclude that the proprietor of these arms is saying that he is loyal to his Kings and will constantly be ready to courageously protect his country. The buck’s heads may tell that he will not fight unless provoked because of a strong belief in peace and harmony.

Förster of Silesia

Forster of Silesia

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About the Proprietor: The arms of Jeremais Förster of the Prussian Province of Silesia. Jeremais was ennobled by Frederick William II of Prussia in October, 1786. This Forster family held seat in the “Breslau Region” of the province that was centered on the city of Breslau, the historical capital of Silesia and Lower Silesia. Today Breslau is now Wrocław, the largest city in western Poland and the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship.

Blazoning the Arms: A blue shield with a gold border contains four red roses connected together with a silver line. The crest shows a crowed surmounted by a half-wing of silver. The mantling is red and blue. See an original ancient image from J. Siebmacher's Great and General Armorial.

Interpreting the Arms: The rose is a symbol of hope and joy with a red blossom, it is a symbol of martyrdom. The wing represents swiftness and protection.