A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hartwich family of Germany.
Reg. 7589 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
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 trois étoiles d'arg.; au 2 d'or à une Fortune de carn., tenant un voile d'arg. au-dessus de sa tête, et posée sur une boule d'azur. Cq. cour. C.: un bras, tenant une épée, le tout au nat.; entre quatre pl. d'aut., alt. d'arg. et de gu. L.: à dextre d'arg. et d'azur, à sen. d'or et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1824
Where the Hartwich Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Hartwich arms are recorded
The Hartwich arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1824.
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.
Frederick William III of Prussia
Sovereign of the period
Frederick William III of Prussia
1797–1840
Reigning in Germany when the Hartwich arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
Prussian heraldry was strictly tied to social rank and noble status rather than being a free choice for every citizen. These symbols were treated as permanent family property that moved through the generations to all legitimate heirs. If a family branch wanted to change their design to stand out, they had to apply for official permission to alter their specific version of the shield.
Granting authority
The Prussian Heroldsamt acted as the central state office that managed and strictly controlled all noble titles and coats of arms.
How they got arms
Families usually obtained their arms through formal royal grants or by proving their long-standing noble status to the state authorities.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms were kept in the rolls of the Prussian Heroldsamt, which functioned from 1706 until 1918.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Germany.
Origin & History of the Hartwich Family in Germany
The surname Hartwich originates from the Germanic regions of Central Europe and is composed of the ancient elements "hard," meaning brave or hardy, and "wich," which refers to a warrior or a place of battle. This suggests that the name was likely first used to describe a person with a strong or courageous character. By the early 19th century, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Kingdom of Bavaria. During this period, the region was undergoing significant social and administrative changes following the Napoleonic Wars. Families like the Hartwichs were often involved in local agriculture, trade, or craft guilds, which were the backbone of the Bavarian economy at the time. As the population grew and moved throughout the German states, the name became a permanent fixture in regional civil registries, marking the family as a stable part of the local community long before the unification of Germany.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hardu-wīgan
Derived from Germanic elements meaning brave or hardy and war or battle.
This name
HartwichA surname signifying a brave warrior or one who is hardy in battle.
also spelled
Hartwick
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
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, General-Landes-Direktion, Akten zur bayerischen Bevölkerungsstatistik, 1824
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
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mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
