A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bening family of Germany.
Reg. 8582 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De sa. à trois étoiles d'arg. et un croiss. tourné du même, le croiss. placé à sen., adextré de deux desdites étoiles, l'une sur l'autre, la troisième étoile posée au milieu du flanc dextre. C.: trois étoiles mal-ordonnées d'arg., entre deux prob. de sa.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Bening Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Bening arms are recorded
The Bening arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit in 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 Bening 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Bening Family in Germany
The family name Bening has roots that trace back to the Germanic regions of Europe, with a documented presence in Bavaria as early as 1765. The name likely originated as a patronymic, which means it was formed by adding a suffix to the name of a father or ancestor to signify lineage. In the linguistic landscape of old Bavaria, names like Bening often evolved from ancient Germanic personal names, reflecting the cultural traditions of the local population. Families during this period were frequently tied to the land and their local parishes, where church records served as the primary way to track births, marriages, and deaths. As the Bening family established themselves in the Bavarian countryside, they contributed to the social and economic life of their community through farming, trade, or local craftsmanship. Over the generations, the name remained a stable identifier, connecting the family to their regional heritage and the historical shifts occurring within the Holy Roman Empire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Benno
Derived from the Germanic element bern meaning bear.
This name
BeningA patronymic surname indicating descent from a person named Benno or Benedict.
also spelled
Benning
Related arms
Benningvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
