A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dreesen family of Germany.
Reg. 3715 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
ravenConstancy and divine providence
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'arg. à un corbeau de sa., posé sur la ligne du coupé; au 2 échiq. de gu. et d'arg. C.: un corbeau de sa., entre un vol d'arg. L. d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Dreesen Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Dreesen arms are recorded
The Dreesen arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Dreesen 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 Dreesen Family in Germany
The surname Dreesen is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify someone as the son of a man named Andreas. Over many generations, the name evolved from the formal Greek-derived Andreas into shorter, regional variations like Drees or Dreesen. By the mid-eighteenth century, families carrying this name were well-established in the southern German region of Bavaria. During this period, life for the Dreesen family was deeply tied to the land and the local parish system. Most ancestors living in Bavaria in 1765 were likely farmers or skilled tradespeople who participated in the tight-knit village communities of the Holy Roman Empire. Because record-keeping was managed by local churches, these families appear in baptismal and marriage registers that document their transition from rural laborers into the structured society of the late eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Andreas
Derived from the Greek word for manly, brave, or masculine.
This name
DreesenA patronymic surname meaning son of Andrew, common in Northern Germany.
also spelled
Drieson
Driesin
Dreesen
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
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Kirchenbücher der Pfarreien in Bayern, 1765
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1971
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
ravenConstancy and divine providence
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
ravenConstancy and divine providence
