A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dahmen family of Germany.
Reg. 2933 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
maceAuthority, and the officer who bears it
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“D'or à deux masses à picotons de sa., passées en saut. C.: les masses.”
GermanyLubeck, c. 1765
Where the Dahmen Arms Were Recorded
Lubeck
Map of Germany showing where the Dahmen arms are recorded
The Dahmen arms were recorded in Lubeck, 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 Dahmen 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 Dahmen Family in Germany
The family name Dahmen traces its roots to the northern regions of Germany, where it functioned as a topographic surname. In the German language, such names often identified people based on their proximity to specific landscape features, such as a dam or a low-lying meadow. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family established a notable presence in the Hanseatic city of Lübeck. Records from 1765 confirm that members of the family were active residents in this influential trading hub. During this era, Lübeck served as a primary center for commerce and maritime activity, suggesting that early Dahmen ancestors were likely integrated into the city’s bustling merchant class or skilled artisan guilds. This urban environment provided the family with opportunities to participate in the economic growth of the Baltic region as they built their lives within the city walls.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Damm
A dam, embankment, or dike used to control water flow.
This name
DahmenRefers to someone who lived near or worked on a dam or embankment.
also spelled
Dahman
Dahmenn
Dahmin
Damen
Related arms
Bischofsrodasimilar arms
Damensimilar arms
Dahmevariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archiv der Hansestadt Lübeck, Bürgerbücher der Stadt Lübeck (1765)
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt (1967)
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.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
maceAuthority, and the officer who bears it
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
maceAuthority, and the officer who bears it
