A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hekman family of Germany.
Reg. 6743 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé d'arg. sur gu.; à trois roses de l'un à l'autre, boutonnées des émaux opposés; toutes les roses barbées de sin., tigées et feuillées du même. C.: un homme iss., hab. d'arg., coiffé d'un capuchon de gu., tenant de sa main dextre trois roses tigées et feuillées de sin., celle du milieu de gu., bout. d'arg., les deux autres d'arg., bout. de gu.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1516
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Map of Germany showing where the Hekman arms are recorded
The Hekman arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1516.
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.
Maximilian I
Sovereign of the period
Maximilian I
1486–1519
Reigning in Germany when the Hekman 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 Hekman Family in Germany
The Hekman family name finds its roots in the Germanic regions of Central Europe, with documented evidence placing early ancestors in Bavaria by the year 1516. The name is generally categorized as a topographic or occupational surname, likely derived from the Middle High German word "hecke," which refers to a hedge or a fenced enclosure. In the early sixteenth century, this suggests that the original bearers of the name may have lived near a prominent hedgerow or served as caretakers of fenced land. As the family established itself in the Bavarian landscape during this period of significant social and religious change, they were part of a broader movement of people transitioning from rural agricultural roles to more defined community identities. Over the following centuries, the name spread from these southern German origins, reflecting the patterns of migration and family growth common to the region during the late Middle Ages and the early modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Heck
A hedge or a boundary made of interwoven branches.
This name
HekmanA person who lived near a hedge or worked as a hedge tender.
also spelled
Hegkman
Hekman
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
Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv (Bavarian Main State Archive). Kurbayern Äußeres Archiv, Urkunden und Akten
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
