A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Diepenbrock family of Germany.
Reg. 5069 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
swordJustice, and military honour
Colours
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)
“De gu. à deux épées d'arg., garnies de sa., passées en saut., les pointes en bas. Cq. cour. C.: les épées. L. d'or et de gu.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1845
Where the Diepenbrock Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Diepenbrock arms are recorded
The Diepenbrock arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1845.
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.
Frederick William IV of Prussia
Sovereign of the period
Frederick William IV of Prussia
1840–1861
Reigning in Germany when the Diepenbrock 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Diepenbrock Family in Germany
The surname Diepenbrock originates from the Low German language and translates roughly to a deep or sunken marsh. Historically, this name functioned as a topographic descriptor, identifying families who lived near low-lying, wet lands or swampy areas in the northern regions of Germany. While the name is deeply rooted in the Westphalian landscape, the family expanded its reach significantly over the centuries. By the mid-19th century, members of the family had moved south into Bavaria, where records confirm their presence by 1845. This migration was part of a broader trend of families moving across German states to seek new opportunities in trade, administration, and agriculture. The transition from the marshy northern plains to the mountainous southern regions of Bavaria highlights the mobility of the family during a time of great social and political change in Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Diepen-broek
Deep or low-lying marshland or swampy meadow.
This name
DiepenbrockRefers to a person who lived near a deep, low-lying wetland or marshy area.
also spelled
Diepenbrok
Deepenbrok
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bielefeld, August, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1856
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1882
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
swordJustice, and military honour
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
swordJustice, and military honour
