A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hassel family of Germany.
Reg. 8463 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
Purple (Purpure)Means: Royal majesty
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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 de pourpre plein; au 2 d'arg. à un arbre terrassé au nat.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Hassel Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Hassel arms are recorded
The Hassel arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Hassel 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 Hassel Family in Germany
The surname Hassel is rooted in the Germanic linguistic tradition, where it typically functions as a topographic name derived from the Middle High German word *hasel*, meaning hazel tree. Families who adopted this name often lived near a hazel grove or a forest clearing where these trees were common. By the year 1765, records confirm that members of the Hassel family were well-established in the region of Bavaria. During this period, the family likely lived as part of a rural or village community, as surnames based on local geography were frequently used to distinguish individuals who worked the land or managed local woodlands. This connection to the natural landscape suggests that the early Hassel ancestors were deeply integrated into the agricultural and social life of the Bavarian countryside during the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hasel
A type of deciduous shrub or small tree in the birch family.
This name
HasselA topographic name for someone who lived near a hazel tree or a hazel grove.
also spelled
Hassell
Hasel
Hassle
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
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
