A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Drewitz family of Denmark.
Reg. 8447 · Danish, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à trois fasces d'azur. C.: une double crémaillère de sa., entre deux prob. de l'écu.”
Denmarkc. 1722
Where the Drewitz Arms Were Recorded
Sjaælland
Map of Denmark showing where the Drewitz arms are recorded
The Drewitz arms were recorded in Denmark, c. 1722.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Sjaælland.
Zealand held the Danish court, the crown's offices and Copenhagen itself. Families who served the king kept estates within reach of it, and royal service was the ordinary route to a coat of arms.
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 Denmark in this period.
Frederik IV of Denmark
Sovereign of the period
Frederik IV of Denmark
1699–1730
Reigning in Denmark when the Drewitz arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Denmark
Danish heraldry during this period was closely tied to noble status and royal favor rather than being open to all citizens. Arms were typically granted by the monarch to individuals, and these symbols were then shared by all members of the noble house. If a family line died out, the right to use those specific arms ended with them.
Granting authority
The Danish royal chancery held the power to issue and regulate official coats of arms for the kingdom.
How they got arms
Families usually received their arms through a formal royal grant that confirmed their noble status and rights.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Danish Royal Chancery records starting in the sixteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Denmark.
Origin & History of the Drewitz Family in Denmark
The family name Drewitz traces its roots to the northern regions of Europe, with documented evidence placing early family members in the Danish region of Sjælland by 1722. The name itself is likely of Slavic origin, derived from the word "drěvo," which refers to wood or a forest. This suggests that the earliest ancestors may have been foresters or people who lived in wooded areas before migrating toward the Baltic coast. By the early 18th century, the family had established a presence in Denmark, where they likely integrated into the local agricultural or trade communities. This period was a time of significant movement across Northern Europe, and the family’s presence in Sjælland reflects the broader patterns of migration and settlement that defined the region during the early modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Andrew
Derived from the Greek word for manly or masculine.
This name
DrewitzA patronymic surname indicating descent from a person named Andrew.
also spelled
Drewits
Drewicz
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Danish National Archives (Rigsarkivet), Kirkebøger for Sjællands Stift, 1722
Kruken, Kristoffer and Stemshaug, Ola, Norsk Personnamnleksikon, 1995
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1972
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
