A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Heier family of Austria.
Reg. 6319 · Austrian, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à un genêt (cheval) iss. d'arg., mouv. d'un tertre de trois coupeaux d'or et acc. en chef de deux étoiles du même. Brl. d'azur et d'or. C.: une tête et col de genêt d'arg., entre deux prob. d'or. L.: d'or et d'azur.”
Austriac. 1533
Where the Heier Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Heier arms are recorded
The Heier arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1533.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried 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.
Region
Tyrol
First recorded
1533
Granting Authority for the Heier Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Charles V
Sovereign of the period
Charles V
1519–1556
Reigning in Austria when the Heier arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Heier Family in Austria
The surname Heier finds its roots in the mountainous region of Tyrol, where records confirm the family was well-established by the year 1533. The name is generally considered a topographic or occupational surname, likely derived from the Middle High German word for someone who worked with hay or lived near a hay meadow. In the rugged landscape of the Alps, families were often identified by their connection to the land and the specific agricultural tasks that supported their mountain communities. During the sixteenth century, the Heier family lived among the valleys of Tyrol, where they participated in the local social and economic life of the region. As the family grew, they became part of the enduring history of the Austrian and South Tyrolean borderlands, maintaining a presence in these alpine settlements for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Heger
A person who guards or manages a fenced area or forest.
This name
HeierAn occupational surname for a forest warden or a keeper of enclosed land.
also spelled
Hayre
Heier
Hayr
Hyer
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
