A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Habel family of Germany.
Reg. 1853 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
swordJustice, and military honour
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur à une table d'or, soutenue de quatre pieds, et un couteau d'arg., posé en barre, la pointe enfoncée dans la table. C.: un vol à l'antique, aux armes de l'écu.”
HesseHesse, c. 1765
Where the Habel Arms Were Recorded
Hesse
Map of Germany showing where the Habel arms are recorded
The Habel arms were recorded in Hesse, c. 1765.
Hesse was central German country, divided among a large number of small landowners and prosperous towns. So many separate households held ground there that the region produced an unusual number of coats of 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 Habel 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 Hesse.
Origin & History of the Habel Family in Germany
The surname Habel originates from the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, with deep roots in the historical territory of Hesse. By the mid-18th century, families bearing this name were well-established within the local communities of this region. The name itself is often considered a shortened form of names beginning with the Germanic element "hab," which relates to concepts of possession or property. During the 1760s, individuals named Habel were typically integrated into the agrarian and craft-based economy of Hesse, living in small villages where they contributed to the local social and economic life. As the family grew, members moved across the Hessian landscape, leaving behind records in church registers and local administrative documents that track their presence through generations of rural development and societal change.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hebele
A diminutive form of the Germanic personal name Hugo or Habert.
This name
HabelDerived from a pet form of names containing the element hug meaning heart or mind.
also spelled
Habelle
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
Hessisches Staatsarchiv Marburg, Kirchenbücher der evangelischen Kirchengemeinden in Hessen, 1765
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
swordJustice, and military honour
swordJustice, and military honour
