A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Friday family of Germany.
Reg. 1871 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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'arg. à trois annelets de sa. C.: un chapeau conique d'arg., ch. de trois annelets de sa., rangés en pal; entre deux pl. d'aut. de sa.”
WestphaliaWestphalia, c. 1765
Where the Friday Arms Were Recorded
Westphalia
Map of Germany showing where the Friday arms are recorded
The Friday arms were recorded in Westphalia, c. 1765.
Westphalia was a land of small estates and fortified farmhouses in western Germany. Its families were numerous and not especially rich, but each held its own ground, and holding ground was what brought 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 Friday 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 Westphalia.
Origin & History of the Friday Family in Germany
The surname Friday, often appearing in historical records as Freitag, traces its roots to the Germanic regions of Europe. By the mid-eighteenth century, family members were well-established in the Westphalia region of Germany. The name itself is derived from the Old High German word *frīatag*, which honored the goddess Frigg. In medieval times, such names were frequently given to individuals born on a specific day of the week or to those who owed a particular service or tax on that day. As families in Westphalia began to adopt permanent surnames for tax and census purposes around 1765, the name solidified as a way to distinguish local lineages. This transition from a descriptive nickname to a formal family name reflects the broader shift in European record-keeping during the Enlightenment era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Frīgedæg
Old English name derived from the Germanic goddess Frigg and day.
This name
FridayA surname historically given to children born on a Friday or those who owed service on that day.
also spelled
Freytag
Friday
Frytag
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
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 1971
Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen, Kirchenbücher und Personenstandsregister der westfälischen Provinzen, 1765
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ringFidelity, and a promise kept
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
