A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Diederichs family of Germany.
Reg. 9604 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
keyGuardianship, and the office of a steward
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Parti: au 1 d'azur à trois fleurs-de-lis héraldiques d'arg., mouv. une seule tige de sin.; au 2 de gu. à une clé d'or, en pal, le panneton à sen. Cq. cour. C.: un vol coupé, à dextre de gu. sur arg., à sen. d'or sur gu., chaque aile ch. de trois étoiles, 2 et 1, de l'un à l'autre. L.: à dextre d'arg. et d'azur, à sen. d'or et de gu.”
SaxonySaxony, c. 1816
Where the Diederichs Arms Were Recorded
Saxony
Map of Germany showing where the Diederichs arms are recorded
The Diederichs arms were recorded in Saxony, c. 1816.
Saxony had mines, trade and old landed families all at once. Silver made some fortunes and land held others, and both sorts of family kept arms, which is why Saxon names appear so often 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.
Frederick William III of Prussia
Sovereign of the period
Frederick William III of Prussia
1797–1840
Reigning in Germany when the Diederichs arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
Prussian heraldry was strictly tied to social rank and noble status rather than being a free choice for every citizen. These symbols were treated as permanent family property that moved through the generations to all legitimate heirs. If a family branch wanted to change their design to stand out, they had to apply for official permission to alter their specific version of the shield.
Granting authority
The Prussian Heroldsamt acted as the central state office that managed and strictly controlled all noble titles and coats of arms.
How they got arms
Families usually obtained their arms through formal royal grants or by proving their long-standing noble status to the state authorities.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms were kept in the rolls of the Prussian Heroldsamt, which functioned from 1706 until 1918.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Saxony.
Origin & History of the Diederichs Family in Germany
The family name Diederichs is a patronymic surname, which means it originated from the given name of a male ancestor. The root of the name comes from the Old High German name Theodoric, which combines words meaning people and ruler. By the time the family was firmly established in the Saxony region of Germany in 1816, the name had evolved into its current spelling to reflect local dialect and naming customs. Families with this name were often part of the growing middle class in German-speaking lands during the nineteenth century. They were likely involved in the agricultural or artisan trades that defined the economy of the Saxon countryside during that era. As the region underwent significant social changes following the Napoleonic Wars, the Diederichs family helped shape the local community through their work and daily life in their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Theodoricus
Derived from Germanic elements meaning people and ruler.
This name
DiederichsA patronymic surname signifying descendant of the ruler of the people.
also spelled
Deederiks
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
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 1971
Sächsisches Staatsarchiv, Kirchenbücher der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Landeskirche Sachsens, 1816
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
keyGuardianship, and the office of a steward
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
keyGuardianship, and the office of a steward
