A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grimmen family of Germany.
Reg. 0846 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 tête et col de cerf au nat., mouv. d'une couronne d'or. C.: les meubles de l'écu.”
SilesiaSilesia, c. 1765
Where the Grimmen Arms Were Recorded
Map of Germany showing where the Grimmen arms are recorded
The Grimmen 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 Grimmen 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 Grimmen Family in Germany
The family name Grimmen is rooted in the linguistic traditions of Germanic regions, likely originating as a topographic or habitational surname. Names of this type often described the specific landscape where a family lived, such as near a jagged cliff or a rugged piece of land. By the mid-eighteenth century, historical records confirm that members of the Grimmen family were established in the province of Silesia. In 1765, this region was undergoing significant administrative changes under Prussian rule, which led to more consistent record-keeping for families living in rural and urban areas alike. During this period, the family likely participated in the agricultural or artisanal life common to the Silesian plains. As they moved through the eighteenth century, the family name became a fixed identifier that helped distinguish them within their local communities and parish registers.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grim
Old Norse and Germanic term meaning mask, helmet, or fierce.
This name
GrimmenA topographic name for someone living near a mask-like or rugged boundary, or a descendant of a fierce person.
also spelled
Grimmenn
Grimmene
Grimen
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
State Archive in Wrocław (Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu), General-Tabellen der schlesischen Bevölkerung, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
