A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Harring family of Germany.
Reg. 3093 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
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 au lion d'or, brandissant une masse d'armes de fer. C.: le lion, iss. (quelquefois entre un vol de sa.)”
GermanyOstfrise, c. 1544
Where the Harring Arms Were Recorded
Ostfrise
Map of Germany showing where the Harring arms are recorded
The Harring arms were recorded in Ostfrise, c. 1544.
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 V
Sovereign of the period
Charles V
1519–1556
Reigning in Germany when the Harring 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 Harring Family in Germany
The history of the Harring name is deeply rooted in the coastal region of East Frisia, known as Ostfriesland, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1544. During this period, the name likely functioned as a patronymic, meaning it was derived from the given name of an ancestor, such as Haro or Harry. Families in this area often lived in small, independent farming communities that were shaped by the challenging landscape of the North Sea coast. Because East Frisia was a region defined by its distinct legal customs and local autonomy, the Harring family would have been part of a society that valued land ownership and community participation. As the sixteenth century progressed, the family likely navigated the complex political shifts of the Holy Roman Empire while maintaining their ties to the fertile marshlands of their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Haro
An ancient Germanic word meaning army or warrior.
This name
HarringA patronymic surname indicating descent from a person belonging to a warrior clan or army.
also spelled
Haringa
Harring
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87