A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bergener family of Germany.
Reg. 3404 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à un bras, arm. au nat., brandissant une épée d'arg. et mouv. d'une colline de sin. en p. C.: le bras.”
Germanyc. 1776
Where the Bergener Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Bergener arms are recorded
The Bergener arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1776.
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.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Germany when the Bergener 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 Bergener Family in Germany
The surname Bergener is a topographical name that originated in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe. It is derived from the Middle High German word "berg," which means mountain or hill, combined with the suffix "-er," indicating someone who lives near or works on such terrain. By the year 1776, records confirm that members of the Bergener family were well-established in the Kingdom of Bavaria. During this period, the family likely lived as agrarian settlers or skilled laborers within the rugged landscape of the Bavarian Alps or the surrounding hilly countryside. As was common in the eighteenth century, the name served as a way to identify individuals based on their specific geographic surroundings, linking the family identity directly to the distinctive geography of Southern Germany.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Berg
A mountain, hill, or elevated piece of land.
This name
BergenerA dweller or worker associated with a mountain or hilly region.
also spelled
Bergenerh
Bergenere
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
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Kurbayern Hofkammer, Buchführung und Rechnungslegung, 1776
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
