A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Freye family of Germany.
Reg. 0184 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à un ours naiss. de sa., mouv. d'une eau au nat. Cq. cour. C.: l'ours, iss., entre deux prob. coupées, à dextre d'or sur sa., à sen. d'azur sur arg. L.: à dextre d'arg. et d'azur, à sen. d'or et de sa.”
SwabiaSwabia, c. 1765
Where the Freye Arms Were Recorded
Swabia
Map of Germany showing where the Freye arms are recorded
The Freye arms were recorded in Swabia, c. 1765.
Swabia was broken into a great many small territories in southern Germany, and each had its own landowners and its own leading townsmen. That fragmentation produced an unusual number of families with arms.
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 Freye 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 Swabia.
Origin & History of the Freye Family in Germany
The surname Freye originates from the Germanic word *frei*, which translates to free or independent. During the Middle Ages, this name was often used to distinguish individuals who were not bound by serfdom or feudal obligations to a local lord. By the mid-eighteenth century, historical records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Swabia region of southwestern Germany. Life in Swabia during 1765 was defined by a mix of agricultural traditions and the growing influence of local craft guilds. Families like the Freyes often lived in small, tight-knit village communities where their status as free citizens allowed them to own property and move with more autonomy than their neighbors. This sense of independence likely helped the family integrate into the social and economic fabric of the region as they navigated the changing political landscape of the Holy Roman Empire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
frijaz
Proto-Germanic term meaning free, beloved, or dear.
This name
FreyeRefers to a person who was free-born or held the status of a freeman.
also spelled
Frey
Freye
Frey-Beerenbach
Fray de Berenbak
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Kirchenbücher der evangelischen Kirchengemeinden in Schwaben
Staatsarchiv Ludwigsburg, Untertanenverzeichnisse und Steuerlisten des Herzogtums Württemberg
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
