A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dresen family of Germany.
Reg. 4188 · 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
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Map of Germany showing where the Dresen arms are recorded
The Dresen 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 Dresen 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 Dresen Family in Germany
The family name Dresen is rooted in the linguistic traditions of Germanic regions, likely originating as a descriptive surname for people who worked in agriculture. In the Middle Ages, the term often referred to a thresher, which was a person responsible for separating grain from stalks during the harvest. By the time members of the family were documented in Bavaria in 1765, the name had become a stable identifier for households living in the rural landscapes of southern Germany. During this period, families like the Dresens were typically tied to the land through tenant farming or local trade. Their presence in Bavarian parish records suggests they were part of the hardworking communities that sustained the regional economy before the industrial shifts of the nineteenth century. As the family grew, they helped shape the local culture of their villages by participating in the religious and social life of the Bavarian countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Drees
A Low German diminutive form of the name Andreas meaning manly.
This name
DresenA topographic name for someone who lived near a thorn bush or thicket.
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 katholischen Pfarreien, 1765
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 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
