A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Freiburg family of Germany.
Reg. 6925 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Parti: au 1 d'arg. à un cep de vigne fruité de trois grappes, accolé à son échalas, le tout au nat.; au 2 de gu. à une demi-ramure de cerf d'or. Cq. cour. C.: une demi-ramure d'or, entre deux prob. L.: à dextre d'arg. et de sin., à sen. d'or et de gu.”
SilesiaSilesia, c. 1765
Where the Freiburg Arms Were Recorded
Map of Germany showing where the Freiburg arms are recorded
The Freiburg arms were recorded in Silesia, c. 1765.
Silesia was farming country in the east of the German lands, held in large estates by families who stayed put for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so the region fills a good deal of the register.
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 Freiburg 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 Silesia.
Origin & History of the Freiburg Family in Germany
The surname Freiburg is a locative name, meaning it was originally derived from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal trait. In German, the name translates to "free castle" or "free town," suggesting that the earliest ancestors likely lived in or near a settlement that held special legal privileges or exemptions from certain feudal taxes. By 1765, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the region of Silesia. During this era, Silesia was a vibrant cultural crossroads under Prussian rule, and families like the Freiburgs often worked as landowners, craftsmen, or local administrators. Because the name was tied to a geographic location, it likely emerged independently in several different parts of the German-speaking world as people moved away from their home towns and kept the name to identify their origins to new neighbors.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Frei-burg
Free or independent settlement or fortified town.
This name
FreiburgRefers to a person who lived in a free city or a fortified town.
also spelled
Freyburg
Fryburg
Related arms
Freyburgvariant spelling
Friburgvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon, 1967
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
State Archive in Wrocław (Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu), Księgi metrykalne i akta stanu cywilnego, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
