Blumenthal family

Arms granted to Ludwig I von Blumenthal in 1701 and (below) to Hans and Joachim von Blumenthal in 1786, upon Hans being elevated to Count (Graf). Note that here the vine is planted, not couped.

The Blumenthal family is a Lutheran and Roman Catholic German noble family, originally from Brandenburg-Prussia. Other (unrelated) families of this name exist in Switzerland and formerly in Russia, and many unrelated families (quite a few of them Jewish) called Blumenthal, without "von", are to be found worldwide.

The family was already noble from earliest times (Uradel), dating from the days of the Holy Roman Empire in the Middle Ages, long before the creation of the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire, and different branches acquired different titles over time. All living members of the noble family are descended from Heinrich (V) von Blumenthal (1654–93), whose baronial status was limited to the borders of Brandenburg. Other members of the family were raised to allodial baronies (Freiherren), all of which are now extinct, or to countships, of which only one line survives. One member of the family, Georg (I) was a Prince-Bishop (i.e. a head of state). In the case of another, Leonhard (I) the Kaiser announced in the Court Circular his intention to raise him to Prince, but he died months later before this could be enacted.