A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hegge family of Germany.
Reg. 9114 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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'arg. à une tête de chien de sa., languée de gu. C.: le meuble de l'écu.”
WestphaliaWestphalia, c. 1765
Where the Hegge Arms Were Recorded
Westphalia
Map of Germany showing where the Hegge arms are recorded
The Hegge arms were recorded in Westphalia, c. 1765.
Westphalia was a land of small estates and fortified farmhouses in western Germany. Its families were numerous and not especially rich, but each held its own ground, and holding ground was what brought arms.
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 Hegge 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 Westphalia.
Origin & History of the Hegge Family in Germany
The surname Hegge originates from the Germanic linguistic tradition, specifically drawing from the Middle Low German word *hegge*, which refers to a hedge or a fenced enclosure. During the medieval period, names were often derived from a person’s surroundings, meaning the first individuals to carry this name likely lived near a prominent hedge, a boundary marker, or a fortified area of land. By 1765, records confirm that the Hegge family was well-established in the Westphalia region of Germany. At that time, families in this area were often tied to the land through agriculture and local trade. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of Westphalian village life, where names served as a way to identify families based on their specific homesteads or geographic locations. This connection to the landscape helped define the identity of the Hegge family for generations as they navigated the changing political and social structures of eighteenth-century Prussia.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hag
An enclosed piece of land or a hedge.
This name
HeggeA topographic name for someone who lived near a fenced enclosure or hedge.
also spelled
Hege
Related arms
Hegevariant spelling
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
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1971
Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen, Kirchenbücher und Personenstandsregister der westfälischen Provinzen, 1765
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greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
