A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Haer family of Germany.
Reg. 1818 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
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 deux faucilles affr. d'or. C.: un vol d'azur, chaque aile ch. d'une faucille d'or, celle à dextre cont.”
WestphaliaWestphalia, c. 1765
Where the Haer Arms Were Recorded
Westphalia
Map of Germany showing where the Haer arms are recorded
The Haer arms were recorded in Westphalia, c. 1765.
Westphalia was a land of small estates and fortified farmhouses in western Germany. Its families were numerous and not especially rich, but each held its own ground, and holding ground was what brought 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 Haer 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 Westphalia.
Origin & History of the Haer Family in Germany
The family name Haer finds its historical roots in the Westphalia region of Germany, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1765. In the German language, the name is closely linked to the Middle High German word "hare," which historically referred to a person with distinctively light or gray hair. During the eighteenth century, Westphalia was a landscape defined by small farming communities and a growing network of local tradespeople. Families like the Haers often lived in rural parishes where their names were recorded in local church registers during baptisms, marriages, and burials. As the region underwent social and economic shifts, the Haer family remained part of the local fabric, contributing to the agricultural and communal life of the Westphalian countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Har
Old High German term referring to a warrior or army.
This name
HaerA topographic name for someone living near a wooded hill or a forest clearing.
also spelled
Haar
Hahr
Haerh
Har
Hare
Related arms
Haarvariant 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
State Archive of North Rhine-Westphalia (Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen), Kirchenbücher der evangelischen und katholischen Kirchengemeinden in Westfalen
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
sickleThe harvest, and the reaping of what was sown
