A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fass family of Germany.
Reg. 7390 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'azur à deux roses d'arg.; au 2 d'azur à une fleur-de-lis d'arg. C.: un homme iss., arm. au nat., posé de profil, tenant de sa main dextre un compas ouv., les pointes en bas. L. d'or et d'azur.”
GermanyFrancfort s, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Fass arms are recorded
The Fass arms were recorded in Francfort s, c. 1765.
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 Fass 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 Fass Family in Germany
The family name Fass has deep roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe, with documented evidence placing members of the family in Frankfurt as early as 1765. During the eighteenth century, Frankfurt served as a major center for trade and commerce, attracting skilled workers and merchants from across the continent. The name itself is often linked to the Middle High German word "faz," which referred to a container or barrel. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name likely worked as coopers or barrel makers, a vital trade in an era when wooden casks were essential for storing and transporting goods like wine, grain, and salted meat. By establishing themselves in a bustling city like Frankfurt, these early family members were part of a growing urban middle class that played a key role in the economic development of the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fass
Middle High German word for a large wooden container or barrel.
This name
FassAn occupational surname for a cooper or someone who manufactured wooden barrels.
also spelled
Fassie
Fassi
Fasi
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Institut für Stadtgeschichte Frankfurt am Main, Bürgerbücher der Stadt Frankfurt am Main
Hessisches Landesarchiv, Personenstandsregister der Stadt Frankfurt
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
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