A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bessler family of Germany.
Reg. 3658 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cherubDivine protection over the innocent
pawStrength held ready, the beast's power in a single limb
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à un ange iss., posé de profil, hab. d'arg., mouv. d'un tertre de sin., les ailes levées, tenant de sa main dextre une palme de sin.; et un membre de griffon d'or, posé en fasce, mouv. du flanc sen. et appuyé contre l'épaule de l'ange. C.: deux bâtons au nat., passés en saut., soutenus d'une couronne de feuillage de sin, couchée sur le cq.; entre un vol d'arg. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Bessler Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Bessler arms are recorded
The Bessler 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 Bessler 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 Bessler Family in Germany
The family name Bessler is rooted in the historical regions of southern Germany, with significant ties to the state of Bavaria. Linguistic experts often classify the name as an occupational surname, likely derived from the Middle High German word *besseler*, which referred to someone who worked as a woodcutter or a maker of wooden shingles. By the mid-18th century, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established within Bavarian communities. During this era, life in Bavaria was defined by agricultural traditions and the influence of local parish networks, where families like the Besslers played essential roles in the rural economy. These early ancestors were typically craftsmen or farmers who contributed to the stability of their villages through skilled manual labor and participation in local church life. Their presence in the region by 1765 reflects a long-standing connection to the landscape and the traditional trades that shaped the social fabric of southern Germany.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bessel
A diminutive form of the Germanic name Berthold meaning bright ruler.
This name
BesslerAn occupational surname for a maker or seller of wooden vessels or barrels.
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
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cherubDivine protection over the innocent
pawStrength held ready, the beast's power in a single limb
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cherubDivine protection over the innocent
pawStrength held ready, the beast's power in a single limb
