A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hegger family of Germany.
Reg. 2504 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
lionCourage, strength and royalty
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)
“Tranché: au 1 d'or au lion de sa; au 2 bandé de sa. et d'or, de quatre pièces. C.: un lion iss. d'or.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1547
Where the Hegger Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Hegger arms are recorded
The Hegger arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1547.
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.
Charles V
Sovereign of the period
Charles V
1519–1556
Reigning in Germany when the Hegger 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 Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Hegger Family in Germany
The surname Hegger is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Bavaria, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1547. During this period, the name likely functioned as a topographic or occupational descriptor, commonly derived from the Middle High German word *hegge*, which refers to a hedge or a fenced enclosure. Families bearing this name were often associated with individuals who lived near a prominent hedge, a boundary line, or perhaps those who worked as caretakers of such barriers. As the family established itself in the Bavarian region, they became part of the local agricultural and social fabric that defined rural life in the sixteenth century. Over time, the name evolved alongside the linguistic shifts of the German language, eventually becoming a distinct identifier for descendants who trace their heritage back to these early Bavarian roots.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hag
An enclosed area, hedge, or fenced piece of land.
This name
HeggerAn occupational name for someone who lived near or maintained a hedge or enclosure.
also spelled
Heeger
Hegger
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
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
lionCourage, strength and royalty
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
lionCourage, strength and royalty
