A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Düren family of Germany.
Reg. 0739 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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 une boule d'or. C.: un oiseau de sa. L. d'or et de sa.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1765
Where the Düren Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Düren arms are recorded
The Düren arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1765.
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 Düren 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Düren Family in Germany
The family name Düren is a locative surname, meaning it was originally derived from the place where the first family members lived. The name traces its origins to the town of Düren in the Rhineland, which served as a significant settlement dating back to the Roman era. Over time, individuals who moved away from this region were often identified by their home city, leading to the adoption of the name as a family identifier. By 1765, records confirm that members of the family had established a presence in Bavaria. This migration was common during the eighteenth century as people moved across German territories to find new agricultural opportunities or to serve in regional administrations. As the family settled into their new Bavarian home, they integrated into the local community while retaining the name that connected them to their ancestral roots in the west.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Dura
A Celtic or Latin term referring to water or a hard place.
This name
DürenRefers to a person who originated from the city of Düren in Germany.
also spelled
Dueren
Durenn
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, 1972
Heimat- und Geschichtsverein Düren e.V., Geschichte der Stadt Düren, 1985
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
