A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hedeman family of Germany.
Reg. 3448 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. à trois trèfles, les tiges des deux trèfles en chef passées en saut, celle du trèfle en p. mouv. d'un petit chicot en fasce; le tout d'or. Cq. cour. C.: trois trèfles d'or (quelquefois de sin.) L. d'arg. et de gu. ou d'arg. et de sin.”
MecklenburgHan · Mecklenburg, c. 1653
Where the Hedeman Arms Were Recorded
Mecklenburg
Map of Germany showing where the Hedeman arms are recorded
The Hedeman arms were recorded in Mecklenburg, c. 1653.
Mecklenburg was farming country in the north of Germany, held by a small number of families who kept their estates for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so a great many Mecklenburg names ended up 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.
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
1637–1657
Reigning in Germany when the Hedeman 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 Mecklenburg.
Origin & History of the Hedeman Family in Germany
The Hedeman family name traces its roots back to the northern regions of Germany, with documented evidence placing members of the family in Mecklenburg as early as 1653. During the seventeenth century, the name was closely tied to the social and administrative structures of the Mecklenburg region, where families often held positions within local governance or land management. The name itself likely evolved from Old German linguistic roots, potentially describing a person who lived near a specific type of wooded area or a protected enclosure. As the family established itself in this rural landscape, they became part of the local fabric of society, navigating the historical shifts and agricultural developments that defined life in northern Germany during the post-war period of the Thirty Years' War. Over time, the family spread from these original settlements, carrying their name through generations as they adapted to the changing political borders and economic demands of the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hede
Old High German term referring to a heath or uncultivated land.
This name
HedemanA person who lived on or near a heath or wasteland.
also spelled
Hedeman
Hedman
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
