A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Häckel family of Austria.
Reg. 6868 · Austrian, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
handFaith, sincerity and justice
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Parti: au 1 d'azur à une étoile d'arg.; au 2 d'or à une main de carn., parée de sa., mouv. en fasce du flanc dextre et tenant une hache de sa. en pal, le tranchant à sen. Ledit champ parti chapé-ployé d'or, à dextre aux armes du 2, à sen. aux armes du 1. Cq. cour. C.: un More iss., hab. d'azur ch. d'une étoile d'or, tort. d'or et d'azur, tenant de sa main sen. une hache de sa. en pal, le tranchant à sen. L.: à dextre d'arg. et d'azur, à sen. d'or et de sa.”
Austriac. 1772
Where the Häckel Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Häckel arms are recorded
The Häckel arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1772.
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
1772
Granting Authority for the Häckel Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Austria when the Häckel arms are first recorded.
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 Häckel Family in Austria
The surname Häckel is a German occupational name that originated from the Middle High German word "hacken," which refers to the act of chopping or cutting. Historically, this name was likely given to someone who worked as a woodcutter, a butcher, or a farmer who used a hoe to till the soil. By 1772, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Tyrol region of the Alps. Living in this rugged mountain landscape, early members of the family were likely tied to the seasonal rhythms of alpine agriculture and forestry. As the name spread through the German-speaking territories, it evolved into various spellings, but the core meaning remained linked to the physical labor required to carve a living out of the difficult mountain terrain.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hacke
A tool used for digging or chopping, specifically a mattock or hoe.
This name
HäckelAn occupational surname for someone who worked as a woodcutter or a farmer.
also spelled
Haeckel
Related arms
Häkelvariant spelling
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
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
handFaith, sincerity and justice
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
handFaith, sincerity and justice
