Sofista
Deity
Having a city name for surname, at least this qualifies as somewhat mine:

It's crooked, dude.It seems this is mine:
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I quite like it.
I need someone who can read old German to help translate this.
I was just sent this by a distant relative.
Spoiler :![]()
Danke!
schlenter, altes schwenninger geschlecht, im jahre 1490 erstmals urkundlich genannt.
I guess he wanted something like:
"Schlenker
Old family from Schwenning
First documented mention in year 1490"
(as good as I can...)
EDIT: Schwenning, or Schwenningen, I guess
it's a "t", not a "k" btw. (schlenter), german wikipedia shows a comparison of those letters (and "f")
and yeah, its schwenningen not schwenning
Odd, my last name is with a k and my ancestors have a k.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraktur_(Schrift)#Lesehilfe
definitely looks like a t...
hm... happens often with names (maybe they even copied the name from a document written in fraktur at some point...)
Odd, my last name is with a k and my ancestors have a k.
Perhaps they were illiterate and could not spell their name correctly? It has changed three times just being in the United States.
EDIT: They came from Schwenningen. My research shows that the Schlenkers are/were a large family there.
it's a "t", not a "k" btw. (schlenter), german wikipedia shows a comparison of those letters (and "f")
and yeah, its schwenningen not schwenning
Calligraphy is not an exact science, variations abound. Check the "t" and "k" in the text: the decorations of the "k" in urkundlich are very, very close to the ones in the family name.
"Family Crest" dealers are charlatans. First off, a crest in heraldry is the decoration on the top of helm, not the entire achievement. In terms of a "Family Crest", the only thing close is a clan crest from Scotland. Just because you share a last name does not entitle you to display the crest, as you may not even be a member of that clan.
Secondly, Arms in most countries are past patrilinearly. The undifferenced arms found on any dealer's website are one man's property, not everyone on earth with his last name.
@Skadistic, the "background" is not merely fluff, it is an integral part of an armorial achievement. Most people who rightfully possess arms have a shield, helm, mantle, and crest, while others will have supporters, a compartment, scroll, ect.
@holy king, Arms can be held by any freeman, not just nobility. Knights themselves were initially a warrior-servants of the nobility. However, the use of supporters is closely associated with the nobility, so Americans should avoid using them.
Now, here is the truly great part: In nations where arms are not legally regulated, such as the United States, ANYONE can assume arms without consulting a higher authority. What this means is you can design your own arms following the accepted rules of heraldry, and it will be your personal property far more than the "family crest" available from some website of "experts". Originally almost all arms had special meaning to the original bearer, so as an original bearer, it would be appropriate for yours to be the same.
If you are a citizen of a nation with a heraldic authority, and wish to bear arms, consult their offices. There is a fee for the patents, but the result is a beautiful lambskin patent that is authentically YOUR ARMS and nobody can take it from you.
If anyone wants further information on heraldry, or guidance on proper design of an armorial achievement, let me know.
Germany does not have a Heraldic Authority anymore, so there is no government agency there to contact.
I suspect this is not yours, for the following reasons: The arms are undifferenced, so unless you are the first son of the first son going back to 1490, or whenever these arms were granted, they are not yours.
Also, it appears to be from a book plate, and not some family artifact or an ancestor's patents. People who legally bear arms will frequently display theirs on objects like chairs, humidors, desks, banners, and so on. On a side note, the arms itself appears to be of genuine renaissance era. The charges are little too realistic, but not overly so.
If you are an American, the best bet is to devise your own, and never, ever trust a "Family Crest" dealer!