A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fargo family of Germany.
Reg. 8147 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“D'azur à un croiss. figuré et tourné d'arg., adextré d'une croix pattée d'or. C.: la croix. L. d'or et d'azur.”
PomeraniaPomerania, c. 1765
Where the Fargo Arms Were Recorded
Map of Germany showing where the Fargo arms are recorded
The Fargo arms were recorded in Pomerania, c. 1765.
Pomerania was flat farming country on the Baltic coast, held in large estates by a small number of families. They kept their land for generations, and generations of landholding is what fills 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 Fargo 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 Pomerania.
Origin & History of the Fargo Family in Germany
The family name Fargo finds its early roots in the region of Pomerania, a historical area located along the southern shore of the Baltic Sea. By the year 1765, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this territory, which was then a part of the Kingdom of Prussia. The name likely evolved from local linguistic patterns in Northern Germany, where families were often identified by their connection to specific geographic features or local agricultural practices. As the population moved across the region, the name served as a way to track lineage and social standing within the tight-knit rural communities of the eighteenth century. Over time, the family name became a permanent marker of their Pomeranian heritage, reflecting the historical shift of families living under the influence of both German and Slavic cultural traditions in the Baltic landscape.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fahr
A journey, passage, or way of travel.
This name
FargoA topographical surname for someone who lived near a ferry crossing or a frequently traveled path.
also spelled
Fargo
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Krollmann, Christian. Altpreußische Biographie. 1941
State Archive in Szczecin (Archiwum Państwowe w Szczecinie). Kirchenbücher der Provinz Pommern. 1765
Zimmermann, Friedrich Albert. Beyträge zur Beschreibung von Schlesien. 1783
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
cross symbolChristian faith and service
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
