A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hapsberg family of Germany.
Reg. 6213 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Ec. d'arg. et de sa.; à la fasce d'or, br. sur le tout. Cq. cour. C.: un lion d'or, cour. du même; entre deux prob., coupées alt. d'arg. et de sa.”
SwabiaSwabia, c. 1765
Where the Hapsberg Arms Were Recorded
Swabia
Map of Germany showing where the Hapsberg arms are recorded
The Hapsberg arms were recorded in Swabia, c. 1765.
Swabia was broken into a great many small territories in southern Germany, and each had its own landowners and its own leading townsmen. That fragmentation produced an unusual number of families with 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 Hapsberg 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 Swabia.
Origin & History of the Hapsberg Family in Germany
The family name Hapsberg traces its roots back to the Swabian region of southwestern Germany. During the eighteenth century, members of the family were well established in this area, living as part of the local community in 1765. The name itself is often linked to the geography of the region, as families in this part of Europe frequently adopted surnames based on the specific towns or landscapes where they resided. While the family was not part of the famous royal dynasty that ruled much of Europe, they were part of the hardworking middle class that helped shape the social and economic life of Swabia. By settling in this fertile area near the Alps, early generations of the Hapsberg family were able to build stable lives and contribute to the growth of their local villages and towns.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Habichtsburg
A fortress or castle belonging to a hawk.
This name
HapsbergDerived from a medieval castle in Switzerland, signifying a hawk's castle or stronghold.
also spelled
Hapsperg
Habsberg
Hapsberg
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bader, Karl S., Der deutsche Südwesten in seiner territorialgeschichtlichen Entwicklung, 1950
Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Bestand H 101: Familienarchive und Nachlässe, 1765
Müller, Hermann, Die schwäbische Gesellschaft im 18. Jahrhundert, 1974
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
