Got any Millers in your family tree? Silly question… Don’t we all? Family Roots Publishing recently teamed with Fred Siler to publish what we plan to be a series of books dealing the heraldry of Germanic families. Fred brought the idea to me some months back. At first I had no interest, as so much heraldry-related stuff is as phony as that proverbial $3 bill. Then, after consulting with others in the genealogy publishing business, and doing some research on Germanic heraldry, I realized that Mr. Siler was producing a product that we’d be proud to publish. Thus our first volume, titled Muller/Mueller Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective.
Family Roots Publishing is offering the volume for 15% off. Click here, on the illustration, or on any of the links to order.
This volume deals with the Germanic heraldry of families whose name was one of the most common in Germany – that of Müller. In English, we’d write that Miller, Muller, or Mueller. Many surnames are occupational – with Müller being a prime example. A Müller was one who ground grain. “The origin of the name comes from Mühle meaning mill. The mill, whether powered by water, by wind, or occasionally animals, was an important center in every medieval settlement.”
“Because the Müller surname has become widespread, not only in German-speaking lands, but throughout central and eastern Europe, many different spellings have arisen over the centuries. In English and other European languages, including Yiddish and Dutch, the name is also spelled Mueller, Muller, Mueler, Muler, Miller, Moeller, Muellner, Milner, Molner, Moehle, Muehle, Muehler, Mullner, Mulder, Moller, Millner, Molnar, and much more.”
German heraldry is unlike British heraldry where a coat-of-arms is associated with one person. Siler’s book includes arms that originated as house marks, guild marks, and burgher arms that have been used by families for centuries. Also included are noble armorial bearings that have been granted to the children of an individual and have been passed down through descendants.
It should be noted that the volume is heavily footnoted, allowing the researcher to locate and examine the original source materials from which the author drew his information. An amazing place index is found at the rear of the book, allowing genealogists to often associate a specific place with Muller/Mueller families. It is the author’s belief that there is often a coat of arms that may be associated with one’s European ancestor. It may not be that of a direct ancestor or that of one’s ancestral family, but it could well be linked, if only by the proximity of geographical location.
This one-of-a-kind book is the first in a series exploring the heraldry and genealogy of common German surnames with a focus on the English-speaking family historian who seeks another fresh approach to their research. This is not another book about how to trace your German ancestors or a reprint of readily available information from old sources. Most family historians will concede that the research process begins to become more tedious when we attempt to deal with European historical locations and records written in a foreign language. Armed with this book, you will start to overcome barriers of language and shifting state boundaries. Learn how the following components can enhance the story of your Muller ancestors. Included in this particular volume are:
- Over 2,200 historical and modern geographical locales of the Holy Roman, German and Austrian Empires, as well as Switzerland;
- Supplementary material for major current and past political states and regions; with links to a catalog of genealogical records by FamilySearch;
- Colorful illustrations of 35 coats-of-arms along with genealogical and geographical information on 94 Muller families.
The following is from the Table of Contents
Preface
Introduction
CHAPTER 1 – Synthesizing Heraldry and Genealogy for a Practical Research Tool
- What is Heraldry?
- Common aspects of Genealogy
- Heraldry and the family historian
- Geography as a fundamental tool for integrating heraldry and genealogy
- Associating a coat-of-arms with your ancestor
CHAPTER 2 – A Brief Introduction to German Heraldry
- Historical Background of Germanic Heraldry
- Components of the Germanic Coat-of-Arms
- Modern German Heraldry
CHAPTER 3 – Heraldic Symbolism
- Introduction to heraldic symbolism
- Symbolism of the colors, furs, lines, divisions, and ordinaries
- Symbolism of the common charges
CHAPTER 4 – An Introduction to the Müller Surname
- Origins and meanings of the name
- Variations of the Muller surname
- Location and distribution of the surname
- Some historical documentations of Müller
CHAPTER 5 – A Survey of Müller Armorial Bearings: Defining the Elements
- Introduction to the geographical territory
- Bearer(s) of the coat-of-arms
- Particular geographical locale(s) associated with the bearer(s)
- Description of the coat-of-arms
- Interpreting the coat-of-arms
- Other Muller arms bearers of this geographical territory
- Additional geographical and genealogical resources
CHAPTER 6 – Müller Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective
- Alsace-Lorraine
- Austria
- Baden-Württemberg
- Bavaria
- Berlin
- Brandenburg
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- East Prussia
- Estonia
- Finland
- Germany
- Hamburg
- Hesse
- Hungary
- Latvia
- Lower Austria
- Lower Saxony
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommeran
- The Netherlands
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Pomerania
- Prussia
- Rhineland-Palatinate
- Saxony
- Saxon-Anhalt
- Schleswig-Holstein
- Silesia
- Styria
- Switzerland
- Thuringia
- Tyrol
- Upper Austria
- Vienna
- West Prussia
CHAPTER 7 – Interpreting the Heraldry of Müller
- Charges associated with the meaning of the surname
- Coats-of-arms that display symbols of the bearer’s religious faith
- Armorial achievements that illustrate a military theme
- Arms that address a significant accomplishment of the bearer
- Charges that identify an occupation of the bearer or his ancestors
- Symbols of honorable characteristics
- Discerning marital union or inheritance
- Curious and uncommon charges
APPENDIX A – Glossary of Heraldic Symbolism
APPENDIX B – Online Genealogy Research by Location
APPENDIX C – Gallery of Müller Coats-of-Arms
INDEX – Historical and Modern Geographical Locales
To purchase a copy at the Family Roots Publishing website, click on the link below:
Muller/Mueller Heraldry and Genealogy: A Geographical Perspective; by Frederick George Siler; 2017; 167 pp; 8.5×11; paperback; ISBN: 978-1-62859-130-9; Item #: FR0700.
