A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Draeger family of Germany.
Reg. 0760 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Ec. : aux 1 et 4 d'arg. à l'aigle de sa., bq. et m. d'or, celle du 1 cont.; aux 2 et 3 d'or à deux bandes de gu. Cq. cour. C. : un vol aux armes du 2 (sur l'aile sen. les bandes sont transformées en barres). L. : à dextre d'arg., de sa. et de gu.; à sen. d'or, de gu. et de sa.”
Germanyc. 1734
Where the Draeger Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Draeger arms are recorded
The Draeger arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1734.
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.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Germany when the Draeger 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 Draeger Family in Germany
The surname Draeger finds its roots in the medieval German language, where it functioned as an occupational name. It is derived from the Middle High German word *drēger*, which translates to a carrier or a porter. In the social structure of the time, this name was given to individuals who were responsible for transporting goods, often working as haulers or laborers in the bustling market towns of the region. By the time members of the family were documented in Bavaria in 1734, the name had become a stable hereditary surname. During this period, the family likely lived in a society defined by agricultural work and local trade. As the name spread across the German-speaking lands, it reflected the essential role that manual labor and logistics played in the daily life of eighteenth-century communities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Trager
Derived from the Middle High German word for a carrier or porter.
This name
DraegerAn occupational surname for someone who transported goods or worked as a porter.
also spelled
Dregger
Draeger
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
