A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Flees family of Germany.
Reg. 3743 · 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
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 une rivière en bande ondée d'arg.; au chef de gu., 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.”
Germanyc. 1864
Where the Flees Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Flees arms are recorded
The Flees 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 Flees 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 Flees Family in Germany
The surname Flees is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Bavaria, where family members were documented as early as 1864. The name likely originated as a descriptive term or a topographic identifier, reflecting the linguistic patterns common to the German-speaking regions of the nineteenth century. During this era, Bavaria was undergoing significant social and industrial shifts, and families like the Flees were often tied to the agricultural or artisanal traditions of their local communities. As the region transitioned through political changes and economic development, the family name became a permanent marker of their presence in the southern German countryside. By examining the records from this period, it is clear that the family was part of a larger movement of people who helped shape the cultural fabric of the Bavarian state before the turn of the century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fliessen
To flow or run in a continuous stream.
This name
FleesA topographic name for someone who lived near a flowing stream or river.
also spelled
Fliss
Flees
Flies
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
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
