Map of Germany showing where the Hegewald arms are recorded
The Hegewald arms were recorded in Silesia, c. 1649.
Silesia was farming country in the east of the German lands, held in large estates by families who stayed put for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so the region fills a good deal of the register.
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 Hegewald 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 Silesia.
Origin & History of the Hegewald Family in Germany
The surname Hegewald originates from the German language and is classified as a topographic name. It is composed of two distinct parts, with "Hege" referring to a fenced area, a hedge, or protected land, and "wald" meaning forest. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry this name likely lived near a protected woodland or served as forest wardens responsible for maintaining such areas. By 1649, historical records confirm that members of the Hegewald family were established in the region of Silesia. During this period, Silesia was a diverse territory where families often settled in rural areas to manage timber or agricultural lands. The name reflects a deep connection to the landscape, marking the family as people who lived and worked in close proximity to the forests of Central Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hage and Wald
Hedge or enclosure and forest or woodland.
This name
HegewaldRefers to someone who lived near a fenced or enclosed forest area.
also spelled
Hegewald
Hegewalt
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 Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich. 1903
Staatsarchiv Breslau (Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu). Kirchenbücher der schlesischen Region. 1649
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
