A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Flies family of Germany.
Reg. 1382 · 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 Flies Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Flies arms are recorded
The Flies 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 Flies 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 Flies Family in Germany
The surname Flies is rooted in the historical landscape of southern Germany, specifically within the region of Bavaria. During the mid-19th century, families bearing this name were well-established in local communities, where they often participated in the agricultural and craft-based economy typical of that era. The name itself likely originated as a descriptive term or a nickname, a common practice in medieval German naming conventions where surnames were derived from personal traits, occupations, or specific geographic markers. By 1864, the Flies family was documented as part of the stable social fabric of the Bavarian countryside, living through a period of significant political transition as the region moved toward the unification of the German Empire. These early ancestors were part of a resilient population that maintained deep ties to their local parishes and regional traditions, helping to preserve the identity of the name through generations of rural life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fliess
A German term referring to a small stream or flowing water.
This name
FliesA topographic name for someone who lived near a small brook or stream.
also spelled
Fliss
Flees
Flies
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Königlich Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern, Meldeunterlagen
Bayerisches Landesamt für Statistik, Bayerisches Orts- und Bevölkerungsverzeichnis
Heimatverein Bayern, Chronik der bayerischen Familiennamen und Siedlungsgeschichte
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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
