A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Brent family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 0035 · German, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“D'or à trois pals d'azur; au chef de gu., ch. à dextre d'une étoile (5) d'arg. C.: un navet d'arg., feuillé de sin.; ou, un chapeau conique de gu., retr. d'arg., sommé de cinq pl. d'aut. du même [Comp. Brempt.]”
GermanyCologne, c. 1765
Where the Brent Arms Were Recorded
Cologne
Map of Germany showing where the Brent arms are recorded
The Brent arms were recorded in Cologne, c. 1765.
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 Brent 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 Brent Family in Germany
The history of the Brent name in Germany is deeply connected to the social and economic landscape of the Rhineland during the eighteenth century. By 1765, records confirm that members of the family were established in Cologne, a city that served as a major hub for trade and craftsmanship along the Rhine River. During this era, families with this surname were often integrated into the urban middle class, working as merchants or skilled artisans who helped drive the city's growth. The name itself likely evolved from local geographic markers or occupational descriptions common to the region, reflecting the family's long-standing roots in the German-speaking territories. As the family navigated the shifting political climate of the Holy Roman Empire, their presence in Cologne suggests they were part of the stable, tax-paying citizenry that defined the city’s identity before the industrial changes of the following century.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
ermineDignity and rank
wyvernValour and protection, and victory over the plague
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Gu. a wivern ar. charged on the breast with three spots of erm. one and two”
OxfordshireOxfordshire, c. 1613
Where the Brent Arms Were Recorded
Oxfordshire
Map of England showing where the Brent arms are recorded
The Brent arms were recorded in Oxfordshire, c. 1613.
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 England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in Germany when the Brent arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Oxfordshire.
Origin & History of the Brent Family in England
The surname Brent is a topographical name, meaning it was originally used to describe people who lived near a specific landmark or geographic feature. In Old English, the word "brent" referred to a steep hill or a high place, and it was also used to describe land that had been cleared by burning. By the time the family was firmly established in Oxfordshire in 1613, the name had already been in use across England for several centuries. Families carrying this name often lived in rural areas where they worked the land or managed local estates. Over time, the name spread from its early roots in the southern and western regions of the country into the Midlands. Because the name was tied to the landscape, it appeared in various local records as families moved to find better farmland or new opportunities in growing market towns. By the early seventeenth century, the Brents in Oxfordshire were part of a long tradition of families whose identities were deeply connected to the physical geography of the English countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Brant
Old High German word meaning to burn or a flaming torch.
This name
BrentRefers to a person who lived near a place cleared by burning.
also spelled
Brente
Brentt
Brint
Brynt
Related arms
Breantvariant spelling
Brendtvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Historisches Archiv der Stadt Köln, Bürgeraufnahmen der Stadt Köln, 1765
Kohl, Wilhelm, Die Geschichte der Stadt Köln, 1981
Lauffer, Otto, Die deutsche Stadt im 18. Jahrhundert, 1925
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
ermineDignity and rank
wyvernValour and protection, and victory over the plague
