A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Heck family of Germany.
Reg. 0785 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à deux bandes, formées chacune de cinq losanges aboutées de sa.”
Germanyc. 1765
Where the Heck Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Heck arms are recorded
The Heck 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 Heck 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 Heck Family in Germany
The surname Heck is a topographic name that originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe. It comes from the Middle High German word "hecke," which refers to a hedge or a thicket of bushes. People likely adopted this name because they lived near a prominent hedge, a boundary line, or a wooded area. By the time ancestors of the family were documented in Bavaria in 1765, the name was already well-established across various German states. Families with this name were typically associated with rural life and agriculture, as the name itself is deeply connected to the natural landscape of the countryside. Over many generations, the name evolved from a simple description of a person’s home into a permanent family identifier that was passed down through the centuries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hag
An enclosed area, hedge, or fenced-in piece of land.
This name
HeckA topographic name for someone who lived near a hedge or an enclosed forest clearing.
also spelled
Hek
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
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
