Map of Germany showing where the Hansen arms are recorded
The Hansen arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1722.
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.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Germany when the Hansen 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 Hansen Family in Germany
The surname Hansen is a patronymic name, which means it was originally created to identify a person as the son of Hans. Hans is a common German short form of the name Johannes, which translates to John. During the early eighteenth century, the name was particularly popular across German-speaking lands as families began to adopt fixed surnames to distinguish themselves in growing communities. By 1722, records confirm that members of the Hansen family were established in the region of Bavaria. At this time, Bavaria was a center of agricultural and trade activity, and families often settled in specific villages where they worked as farmers or skilled craftsmen. Because the name was tied to a common given name, it appeared independently in many different towns, meaning that those who shared the name were not always related by blood. Instead, the name serves as a historical marker of the widespread cultural influence of the name Hans throughout the German states during the early modern period.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
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)
“Parti d'azur et d'arg., à deux fleurs-de-lis de l'un à l'autre. C.: deux prob., d'azur et d'arg., soutenues d'un rang de cinq roses, alt d'azur et d'arg.”
Denmarkc. 1476
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Map of Denmark showing where the Hansen arms are recorded
The Hansen arms were recorded in Denmark, c. 1476.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Sjaælland.
Zealand held the Danish court, the crown's offices and Copenhagen itself. Families who served the king kept estates within reach of it, and royal service was the ordinary route to a coat 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 Denmark in this period.
Christian I of Denmark
Sovereign of the period
Christian I of Denmark
1448–1481
Reigning in Germany when the Hansen arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Denmark
Danish heraldry during this period was closely tied to noble status and royal favor rather than being open to all citizens. Arms were typically granted by the monarch to individuals, and these symbols were then shared by all members of the noble house. If a family line died out, the right to use those specific arms ended with them.
Granting authority
The Danish royal chancery held the power to issue and regulate official coats of arms for the kingdom.
How they got arms
Families usually received their arms through a formal royal grant that confirmed their noble status and rights.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Danish Royal Chancery records starting in the sixteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Denmark.
Origin & History of the Hansen Family in Denmark
The surname Hansen is a classic example of a patronymic naming system, which means it was originally created to identify a person as the son of a man named Hans. In Denmark, this practice was the primary way families identified themselves for centuries before fixed surnames became mandatory. Historical records confirm that members of the Hansen family were established on the island of Sjælland as early as 1476. During this period, the name was not a static family label passed down through generations, but rather a shifting description that changed with each father. As the family grew and moved across the Danish landscape, the name eventually transitioned from a temporary description into a permanent surname that solidified the family identity. This evolution reflects the broader social changes in Denmark as the population moved away from simple naming traditions toward the structured registry systems used by the state today.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'azur à trois bandes d'arg.; au 2 d'arg. à un cygne au nat., bq. de gu., nageant sur une eau au nat. L'écu bordé d'or. Cq. cour. C.: un cygne au nat., bq. de gu., le vol levé; entre un vol d'azur. L.: d'arg. et d'azur.”
LivoniaLivonia, c. 1772
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Map of Poland showing where the Hansen arms are recorded
The Hansen arms were recorded in Livonia, c. 1772.
Livonia was Baltic country held by a small number of landed families who kept their estates for centuries. Land there passed down whole rather than being divided, and long unbroken tenure is what fills a 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.
Region
Livonia
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Hansen Arms
Ennoblement by the Sejm
Author: Olek Remesz · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Poland in this period.
Stanisław August Poniatowski
Sovereign of the period
Stanisław August Poniatowski
1764–1795
Reigning in Germany when the Hansen arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Poland
Polish noble families shared a single coat of arms across many different surnames, creating large clans rather than individual designs. These symbols were held collectively by all members of the clan regardless of their specific family name. When a new family joined the nobility, they were adopted into an existing clan and began using that group's established shield.
Granting authority
The Sejm, which was the Polish parliament, held the power to grant noble status and the right to bear arms.
How they got arms
Families typically received their coat of arms through a formal act of ennoblement granted by the Sejm for distinguished service.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Crown Metrica, which served as the central archive for state documents starting in the sixteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Livonia.
Origin & History of the Hansen Family in Poland
The surname Hansen is a patronymic name that means son of Hans, a common short form of the name Johannes. While the name has deep roots in Scandinavia and Northern Germany, its presence in the historical region of Livonia by 1772 reflects the movement of people across the Baltic Sea. During the eighteenth century, Livonia was a crossroads of cultures where German, Baltic, and Polish influences often overlapped. Families like the Hansens frequently moved through these territories as merchants, craftsmen, or administrators during the period when the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was undergoing significant political shifts. As the borders of the region changed, individuals with this name became part of the diverse social fabric of Eastern Europe. Their history is tied to the migration patterns of people seeking new opportunities in the urban centers and rural estates that spanned from the Baltic coast down into the lands of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Hansen Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Johannes
God is gracious
This name
HansenA patronymic surname meaning son of Hans or son of John.
also spelled
Hanzon
Hanson
Related arms
Hansonvariant 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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
