A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fries family lines. Documented in 3 countries.
Reg. 3860 · French, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“De gu. à une bêche d'arg., emm. d'or, le fer en bas et terminé en deux pointes; ladite bêche accostée de deux étoiles d'or. Deux cq. cour. C.: 1º un homme iss., hab. d'arg. au rabat de gu., les manches retr. du même, tenant la bêche de l'écu, posée sur son épaule; l. d'arg. et de gu.; 2º un demi-vol coupé d'or sur gu., à deux étoiles de l'un à l'autre; l. d'or et de gu.”
AlsaceAlsace, c. 1757
Where the Fries Arms Were Recorded
Alsace
Map of France showing where the Fries arms are recorded
The Fries arms were recorded in Alsace, c. 1757.
Alsace lay between France and the German lands and belonged to both at different times. Its families held small estates and served whichever side ruled, and men who served in arms carried arms of their own.
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 France in this period.
Louis XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Fries arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Alsace.
Origin & History of the Fries Family in France
The family name Fries has deep roots in the Alsace region, a territory that has shifted between French and German influence for centuries. By 1757, records confirm that members of the Fries family were well-established in this area, living through a period where the region was firmly under the control of the French crown. During the eighteenth century, families in Alsace often navigated a unique cultural blend, speaking local dialects while adapting to French administrative systems. Because the name Fries is derived from the Germanic word for a person from Frisia, it suggests that the family’s ancestors likely migrated south from northern coastal regions long before settling in the Rhine valley. These early generations were typically involved in the agricultural and craft-based economy that defined rural Alsatian life, contributing to the local community as the region became increasingly integrated into the French state.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Coupé de sa. sur or; à un lion, ayant une tête de jeune fille, de l'un en l'autre. C.: le lion, iss. (Branche de la fam. Fries, en Franconie, qui portait: Coupé d'azur sur or, au lion de l'un en l'autre).”
Austriac. 1451
Where the Fries Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Fries arms are recorded
The Fries arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1451.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried 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.
Region
Tyrol
First recorded
1451
Granting Authority for the Fries Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Fries Family in Austria
The family name Fries has deep roots in the mountainous region of Tyrol, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1451. During this period, the name was closely tied to the social and economic life of the Alpine valleys. The word itself is often linked to the Middle High German term for a person from Friesland, though it was frequently used as a descriptive name for individuals who had migrated or traded across the Germanic territories. In the rugged landscape of Tyrol, families like the Fries were often involved in local agriculture, mining, or trade routes that connected the region to northern Italy and the rest of the Holy Roman Empire. As the family grew, they became part of the local fabric of village life, contributing to the development of the region through their roles as landowners and community members. Their presence in 15th-century Tyrol highlights how families established themselves in specific geographic areas long before modern borders were fully defined.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
swordJustice, and military honour
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
Colours
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)
“De gu. à deux épées d'arg., passées en saut. dans une couronne d'arg., les pointes en bas. C.: un griffon iss. de gu., tenant de ses pattes une épée d'arg. en pal.”
GermanyFrancfort s, c. 1765
Where the Fries Arms Were Recorded
Francfort s
Map of Germany showing where the Fries arms are recorded
The Fries arms were recorded in Francfort s, c. 1765.
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 France when the Fries 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Fries Family in Germany
The surname Fries is a classic example of a locative name, which means it was originally used to identify people based on where they lived or their ancestral origins. In the German language, the name is derived from the word for a person from Friesland, a coastal region in the northern part of the country. As families moved away from their northern homelands and settled in various parts of the German-speaking world, the name became a way to track their regional heritage. By the time members of the family were documented in Frankfurt in 1765, the name had become well-established as a way to distinguish individuals in growing urban centers. During this era, Frankfurt served as a major hub for trade and migration, and families like the Fries line often integrated into the city’s professional and merchant classes. This movement across the German landscape reflects a broader pattern of internal migration where families carried their regional identities with them as they established new roots in bustling cities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Frisius
A person originating from the region of Frisia.
This name
FriesAn ethnic or geographic identifier for someone who migrated from the Frisian lands.
also spelled
Fryes
Frees
Freeze
Related arms
Aichpichlsimilar arms
Buoisimilar arms
Ertel de Krehlausimilar arms
Friisvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives départementales du Bas-Rhin, Registres paroissiaux et d'état civil
Boehler, Jean-Michel, Une société rurale en milieu rhénan: la paysannerie de la plaine d'Alsace (1648-1789), 1994
Livet, Georges, L'Alsace et le Rhin: de 1648 à 1789, 1981
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
lionCourage, strength and royalty
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
swordJustice, and military honour
crownSovereignty, authority and just reward
