- The Governor General of Canada
The contents of this Register are intended for research purposes only. The heraldic emblems found in the Register may not be reproduced in any form or in any media without the written consent of the Canadian Heraldic Authority and/or the recipient.
Reinhart (Reinhardt) Family Association
Waterloo, Ontario
Grant of Arms
July 12, 1996
Vol. III, p. 103
Click on each image to enlarge. The blazon and symbolism for each element will accompany the enlarged image.
Blazon
Arms
Azure an annulet Or surmounted of three feathers Argent penned Gules points inward in pairle between three ears of wheat slipped Or stalks inwards in pairle reversed in centre point a heart Or charged with a cross patty Gules;
Crest
Between a pair of hames per fess Argent and Gules tipped Gules a griffin's head Argent beaked Or;
Motto
STRENGTH • LEADERSHIP • PURITY;
Badge
Upon an annulet Azure a Latin cross composed of four ears of wheat slipped Or stalks inward between four hearts Or bases inward in the centre upon the cross and within the annulet a heart Gules charged with a cross patty Or;
Symbolism
Arms
The blue field is taken from the arms of the town of Külsheim in the Grand Duchy of Baden, the origins of the first Reinhart settlers in Upper Canada circa 1830. The annulet echoes the wheel device that appeared in the Külsheim seal, which was in turn the symbol of the Archbishops of Mainz, the feudal lords of the town. It also represents family unity and solidarity, values at the core of the Association. The ears of wheat are a reminder of the family’s agricultural background and the related business pursuits and interests practised by future generations of the Reinhart family. They are a further reference to prosperity, fecundity, hope and family. The feathers symbolize the family’s contribution to the arts and to the betterment of society via religion, education, and communication. The gold heart is a play on the name Reinhart, Rhinehart or Reinhardt, which means “pure heart”. The cross patty is a form of the Christian cross popular in Germany and reflects the family’s commitment to their faith, which informs and underlines all the symbols in the shield.
Crest
The griffin is a symbol of Baden and thus repeats a theme of the arms. The griffin is often used to represent a keeper of treasures and celebrates the Association’s role in the preservation and guardianship of the family’s heritage, treasures that must be nurtured and protected. The hames of a horse collar are another allusion to the family’s early agricultural endeavours and a symbol of harnessed energy that has made the Reinhart family productive Canadians.
Motto
Not applicable
Badge
The symbolism of this emblem is found in other element(s) of this record.
Background
Canada Gazette Information
The announcement of the Letters Patent was made on November 22, 1997, in Volume 131, page 3589 of the Canada Gazette.
Artist Information
Creator(s)
Original concept of David Bowyer, assisted by the heralds of the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
Painter
David Bowyer
Calligrapher
David Bowyer
Recipient Information
Civil Institution
Family Association