The Roush (Rausch) Family Armorial Coat as recorded in Rietstap’s Armorial General is described as follows:
ARMS
Quarterly, first and fourth are grape with fruit ppr. on Mound Vert. Second and third gules an armoured Knight argent in the dexter hand a sword point up in sinister hand a fire-ball ppr. In center an escutcheon sable charged with a bend wavy argent.
CREST
Between two wings sable in Knight argent plumed argent and gules, in dexter hand a sword.
EXPLANATION OF THE ABOVE ARMORIAL COAT
Quarterly - the shield being divided into four equal quarters
Or - gold denotes Generosity and Elevation of Mind
Ppr - proper or natural color.
Vert - green, denotes Hope, Joy and Loyalty in love.
Gules - red, denotes Military Fortitude and Magnanimity.
Dexter - right
Sinister - left
Argent - silver, denotes Peace and Sincerity.
Escutcheon - small shield.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Riestap’s Armorial General. Symbolisms of Heraldry – W. Cecil Wade. Dictionary of Heraldry – Charles N. Elvin. Siebmacher Wappenbuch.
The Coat of Arms for the Rausch family has three known variations. All are to be found in Planche’s de L’Armorial, de J. B. Rietstap, PL CXXXI, p. 100. Two are Bavarian and one is a Pomeranian grant. Bavaria is the largest republic of Germany in area and population, next to Prussia. It consists of two distinct and unequal portions, bavaria proper and the Palatinate of the Rhine. The coat of arms for the Palatine families would be granted by the ruler of Bavaria.
Of the Pomeranian Rausch Family to whom the coat of arms was granted, we have no further knowledge at this time. It may be conjectured, however, that they were of Palatine origin. The one presented herewith is the one adopted by the Roush Family Association of America. Both the original and translation are given. Most of the terms and historical accounts used in “Heraldry” are in French because that language prevailed while the science was growing up. The term “heraldry” gets its name from the heralds of the Middle Ages, who were the official representatives of the Kings and Lords.
“Rausch de Traubenberg – Bavaria. (Nob. au St. Empire 23 dem., 1539; conf. de nob. 19 Sept., 1660). Ec.; aux I et 4 d’or a un cep de vigne, accole a son echalas terrasse au nat; aux 2 et 3 de gu. a un chevalier, tenant une sepee de sa main dextre et une grenade allumee de sa main sen. Sur le tout de sa. a la bande ondee d’arg. C.; 1 chevalier, iss., entre un volde sa.”
These descriptions of the Coat of Arms were supplied by J. E. Caldwell Company, Philadelphis, PA
Rausch of Traubenberg, Bavaria (granted by the Holy Empire December 23, 1539. Another grant of rank or nobility was conferred by the Empire upon the family September 19, 1660). A quartered arms, the 1st and 4th being charged with a grape vine supported by a pole or prop resting upon the ground. The 2nd and 3rd quarterings are charged with a knight holding in his hand a flaming bomb. This is charged in the center with a smaller shield of black, having an irregular band of silver. The crest is a knight placed between two black wings.
How much the family antedated this grant of the Coat of Arms is not known. It is evident that they had won a place of prominence and had gained favor with the Holy Empire by 1539. This was during the reign of Charles V., the most important in the German annals and the most brilliant in the sixteenth century.
It is evident that many of the Roush families of America with the various spellings, are of the same origin. Most of the families listed as emigrants as having come to America between 1732 and 1743 we believe to be of the same immediate families of Jacob (T.) Rausch, 1732, the Jacob Rausch who settled in Windsor Township, Berk’s County, Pennsylvania, and the John Adam Rausch, of 1736, the first ancestor of Volume I. Reference should be made to “The History of The Roush Family in America,” by Lester Le Roy Roush, published in 1928.
Only traditional regulations govern the use of coats of arms in America. In these pages no attempt is made to show that the families listed are of direct descent from those to whom any of these coats of arms were granted. This symbol has become ours by adoption only.