A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dürre family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 7679 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
swordJustice, and military honour
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à neuf palissades d'arg. rangées, dont les trois du milieu sont brisées; au chef du premier, ch. de deux épées d'arg., garnies d'or, passées en saut. C.: une tête et col de lion d'azur. L. d'arg. et d'azur. D.: DÜPPEL, 18 APRIL 1864.”
Germanyc. 1864
Where the Dürre Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Dürre arms are recorded
The Dürre arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1864.
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.
Wilhelm I
Sovereign of the period
Wilhelm I
1861–1888
Reigning in Germany when the Dürre arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
Prussian heraldry was strictly tied to social rank and noble status rather than being a free choice for every citizen. These symbols were treated as permanent family property that moved through the generations to all legitimate heirs. If a family branch wanted to change their design to stand out, they had to apply for official permission to alter their specific version of the shield.
Granting authority
The Prussian Heroldsamt acted as the central state office that managed and strictly controlled all noble titles and coats of arms.
How they got arms
Families usually obtained their arms through formal royal grants or by proving their long-standing noble status to the state authorities.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms were kept in the rolls of the Prussian Heroldsamt, which functioned from 1706 until 1918.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Germany.
Origin & History of the Dürre Family in Germany
The surname Dürre originates from the Middle High German word dürre, which translates to dry or barren. In the context of medieval German naming conventions, this was likely a descriptive nickname given to a person who was physically thin or perhaps someone who lived on land that was particularly dry or difficult to farm. By the time the family was firmly established in Bavaria during the mid-19th century, the name had become a fixed hereditary surname passed down through generations. The presence of the Dürre family in the Bavarian region by 1864 reflects a history deeply rooted in the agricultural and social landscape of southern Germany. During this era, families often lived in small, localized communities where names served as a way to distinguish individuals based on their physical traits or their connection to the specific geography of their home village. As the family grew and moved throughout the German states, the name remained a testament to these early roots in the Bavarian countryside.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 roses de gu., bout. d'or; à la bord. d'azur. Cq. cour. C.: deux cornes de buffle d'arg., ornées chacune à l'ext. de trois roses de gu. L.: d'arg. et de gu.”
FranceStrasbourg, c. 1663
Where the Dürre Arms Were Recorded
Strasbourg
Map of France showing where the Dürre arms are recorded
The Dürre arms were recorded in Strasbourg, c. 1663.
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 France in this period.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in Germany when the Dürre arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of France.
Origin & History of the Dürre Family in France
The history of the Dürre family in France is deeply tied to the shifting borders of the Alsace region during the seventeenth century. By 1663, records confirm that members of the family were established in Strasbourg, a city that served as a vital cultural bridge between French and German influences. The name itself is rooted in the Middle High German word *dürre*, which translates to dry or barren, and it likely functioned as a descriptive nickname for an ancestor who lived on parched land or possessed a lean physical build. Because Strasbourg was a center of trade and intellectual exchange, the Dürre family lived in a society that valued skilled craftsmanship and urban commerce. As the region transitioned under the influence of the French Crown during this era, the family navigated the complexities of living in a bilingual territory. Their presence in the city archives highlights their integration into a community that balanced local traditions with the growing administrative reach of the French state.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
durri
Old High German term referring to something dry or arid.
This name
DürreA descriptive nickname for a person who was thin, gaunt, or lived on dry, barren land.
also spelled
Dur
Durra
Dure
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
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
swordJustice, and military honour
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
swordJustice, and military honour
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
