A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Boyens family of Germany.
Reg. 0531 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: au 1 d'azur au dextrochère arm., tenant une épée et mouv. d'une nuée, le tout d'arg.; au 2 de gu. à un château de trois tours d'arg.; au 3 d'azur à la demi-aigle de sa., bq. et m. d'or, mouv. du parti, tenant de sa griffe trois flèches du même; au 4 d'arg. à une banderole de gu., en barre, ch. d'une croisette d'or. Cq. cour. C.: le dextrochère, iss. de la couronne et brandissant l'épée. L.: à dextre d'arg. et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et de gu. [Par diplôme du 12 juillet 1705 ces armes étaient augmentées d'un surtout d'arg. au palmier de sin., terrassé du même, le fût passé dans une couronne d'or.]”
Germanyc. 1672
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Map of Germany showing where the Boyens arms are recorded
The Boyens arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1672.
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.
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
1658–1705
Reigning in Germany when the Boyens 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 Boyens Family in Germany
The surname Boyens traces its roots to the Germanic regions of Central Europe, where it functioned as a patronymic name derived from the given name Boye or Boie. This name was historically common among the Frisian and Low German populations, often serving as a shortened form of names containing the element "bodo," which relates to a messenger or a commander. By the year 1672, records confirm that members of the family were established in Bavaria. During this period, families often moved across regional borders to seek new agricultural opportunities or to escape the lingering social instability caused by the Thirty Years' War. As the family settled into the Bavarian landscape, they integrated into the local community, likely working as skilled tradespeople or farmers who contributed to the rebuilding of the region’s economy. The persistence of the name through centuries of migration highlights the family’s ability to adapt to new environments while maintaining their distinct ancestral identity.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bodo
Derived from the Germanic element bod meaning messenger or herald.
This name
BoyensA patronymic surname meaning son of Bodo or descendant of the messenger.
also spelled
Boyens
Boyene
Boien
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
