A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Belov family of Germany.
Reg. 1683 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
axeThe execution of military duty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à trois haches d'azur, emm. d'or, posées en fasces, l'une sur l'autre. C.: deux haches de l'écu, adossées et posées en chev. renv. - Ou: De gu. à trois haches au nat., posées en fasces, l'une sur l'autre. Cq. cour. C.: deux haches au nat., passées en saut. L. d'arg. et de gu.”
PomeraniaPrusse · Pomerania, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Belov arms are recorded
The Belov arms were recorded in Pomerania, c. 1765.
Pomerania was flat farming country on the Baltic coast, held in large estates by a small number of families. They kept their land for generations, and generations of landholding is what fills the registers.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Germany in this period.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Belov arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
In the Holy Roman Empire, coats of arms were often granted to individuals by the Emperor or his representatives. These arms were then passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants of the original holder. Younger branches of a family usually kept the same shield design without needing to change it, as the arms belonged to the entire lineage.
Granting authority
The Holy Roman Emperor held the sole power to grant new coats of arms throughout his vast imperial territories.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal imperial grant or by proving their noble status to the authorities.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Imperial Chancery registers, which began keeping formal records of such honors during the Middle Ages.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Pomerania.
Origin & History of the Belov Family in Germany
The family name Belov is rooted in the Slavic linguistic tradition, where it is derived from the word "bely," meaning white. Historically, this name was often used as a descriptive nickname for a person with light hair or a pale complexion, or it may have referred to someone who lived in a bright or clear area. By 1765, records confirm that members of the family were established in the Pomerania region, a historical area along the southern shore of the Baltic Sea that spanned parts of modern-day Germany and Poland. During this period, families in Pomerania were often tied to the land through agriculture or trade, and the name likely spread as these individuals moved between rural villages and growing market towns. Because the name is based on a common physical trait, it emerged independently in various Slavic-speaking communities, creating a shared linguistic heritage that connects the family to the broader cultural history of Eastern and Central Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Belo
Derived from the Slavic word for white or fair-haired.
This name
BelovA surname indicating a person with a fair complexion or light-colored hair.
also spelled
Bylov
Biloff
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Unbegaun, Boris Ottokar, Russian Surnames, 1972
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Landesarchiv Greifswald, Kirchenbücher der Provinz Pommern, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
axeThe execution of military duty
axeThe execution of military duty
