ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1273
http://www.s-gabriel.org/1273
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From: "S Friedemann" 
4 Oct 1998

Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked for information on German surnames and heraldry traditions between
1500 and 1550, specifically for ones relating to wine.  Here is the
information we have found.

There are a number of German surnames that relate in various ways to wine
and vintning.  The ones that we have found near or in your time period are
as follows: [1]

  Winbrenner, distiller of brandy from wine
     found in Freiburg in 1460

  Weinherr, a proprietor of a wine cellar
     found in Nuernberg in 1582

  Weinmeister, an official connected with wine growing
  or selling
     found in 1408

If you'd be interested in finding a given name to go with one of the
surnames above, we suggest you browse the following article from our
library:

  "15th-Century German Women's Names"
     http://www.itd.umich.edu/~ximenez/s.gabriel/docs/german15f.html

_Das Wappenbuch_ by Johann Siebmacher [2] is an excellent book with lots of
pictures of arms from your period.  It isn't the easiest to find; if your
local library does not have it, you might be able to get it through
inter-library loan.  Also, many SCA heralds own copies of this book; you
might be able to get a hold of it through one of the senior heralds in your
area.

There is also a German roll of arms on the web at

     http://people.delphi.com/ivanor/zroadt0.htm

that, while not specifically from your period, is a good beginning place.

German bourgeois in later period tended to use tools of their trade in their
arms.  A wine-cask might be a good choice for your arms: casks are not
uncommon charges in period heraldry.  If you find another tool typical of
the wine trade in Germany, you could reasonably use it in your arms.

We hope that this letter has been useful to you, and that you will not
hesitate to write again if any part was unclear or if you have further
questions.  Research and commentary on this letter was provided by Arval
Benicoeur, Daniel of Tweed, Zenobia Naphtali, and Talan Gwynek.

For the Academy,
--Aryanhwy Prytydes merch Catmael
     October 4, 1998

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References:

[1] Brechenmacher, Josef Karlmann, _Etymologisches Worterbuch der deutschen
familiennamen_ (Limburg a. d. Lahn, C. A. Starke-Verlag, 1957-1960).

[2] Siebmacher, Johann, _Johann Siebmachers Wappenbuch von 1605_, ed. Horst
Appuhn (Dortmund: Harenberg, 1988)