A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fugger family of Germany.
Reg. 8618 · German, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur à un chevreuil ramp. au nat. ou d'or. Cq. cour. C.: le chevreuil, iss. L. d'or et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1452
Where the Fugger Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Fugger arms are recorded
The Fugger arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1452.
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.
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
1440–1493
Reigning in Germany when the Fugger 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 Fugger Family in Germany
The history of the Fugger family begins in the small Bavarian town of Graben, where a weaver named Johannes Fugger first appeared in historical records during the late 14th century. By 1452, the family had firmly established themselves in the city of Augsburg, which was then a growing center for trade and finance. While their ancestors worked primarily as humble linen weavers, the family quickly shifted their focus toward the lucrative textile trade. This transition allowed them to build a massive commercial network that connected southern Germany to the markets of Italy and beyond. Through careful business decisions and strategic marriages, the Fuggers transformed from local craftsmen into one of the most influential merchant dynasties in European history. Their rapid rise from the working class to the heights of international banking remains a famous example of social mobility in the late Middle Ages.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
fuccher
A Middle High German term for a deceiver or a fox.
This name
FuggerDerived from a nickname for a cunning or sly individual.
also spelled
Fuggere
Fuggero
Fuggerr
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Steinmetz, Max. Das deutsche Volkstum in der Geschichte. 1965
Pölnitz, Götz Freiherr von. Jakob Fugger. 1949
Stadtarchiv Augsburg, Fugger-Archiv
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stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
