A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bredow family of Germany.
Reg. 7938 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
Colours
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 les armes précédentes; au 2 d'or, embrassé à dextre d'arg.; au 3 d'or, embrassé à sen. d'arg. L'écu entouré d'une filière d'or. Cq. cour.”
Germanyc. 1674
Where the Bredow Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Bredow arms are recorded
The Bredow arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1674.
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 Bredow 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 Bredow Family in Germany
The family name Bredow has deep roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe, with historical records confirming the presence of family members in Bavaria by the year 1674. The name is considered a topographic surname, which means it likely originated from a specific place or landscape feature where the family first settled. Many historians believe the name is linked to the town of Bredow in the Brandenburg region, suggesting that the family migrated from northern Germany toward the southern territories over several generations. During the seventeenth century, individuals bearing this name were often integrated into the local social structures of Bavaria, where they participated in the agricultural and civic life of their communities. As the family moved and established new households, they helped carry the name across different German states, cementing its place in the regional history of the era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
bred
Old Polabian word meaning a broad or wide area of land.
This name
BredowRefers to a person who originated from a broad or wide settlement area.
also spelled
Bredowe
Bredau
Bredoff
Bredo
Related arms
Bredausimilar arms
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
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
