A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hellerman family of Germany.
Reg. 2632 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 d'arg. à une demi-aigle de Prusse, mouv. du parti; au 2 d'azur à la fasce d'arg., acc. de trois étoiles d'or. Cq. cour. C.: un chevalier, arm. de toutes pièces, brandissant une épée, le tout au nat., entre deux prob., coupées alt. d'or et d'azur. L.: à dextre d'arg. et de sa., à sen. d'or et d'azur.”
PomeraniaPomerania, c. 1743
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Map of Germany showing where the Hellerman arms are recorded
The Hellerman arms were recorded in Pomerania, c. 1743.
Pomerania was flat farming country on the Baltic coast, held in large estates by a small number of families. They kept their land for generations, and generations of landholding is what fills 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 VII, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor
1742–1745
Reigning in Germany when the Hellerman 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 Pomerania.
Origin & History of the Hellerman Family in Germany
The surname Hellerman is rooted in the linguistic traditions of Northern Germany, where it likely functioned as a descriptive name for an individual’s character or social standing. The prefix "hell" often referred to someone who was bright, clear, or perhaps loud, while the suffix "man" simply identified the person as a member of a specific household or community. By 1743, the family was well-established in the region of Pomerania, a historical area along the Baltic Sea that was then under the control of the Kingdom of Prussia. During this period, families in Pomerania were often tied to the land through agriculture or local trade, and the name Hellerman would have been recorded in parish registers as these families participated in the religious and civic life of their villages. As the region experienced shifts in political power and economic growth, the Hellerman name became a permanent fixture in the local records, marking the family as part of the steady population that shaped the development of the Prussian frontier.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Helder
Derived from the Middle High German word for a hero or warrior.
This name
HellermanAn occupational or topographic name for a man who lived near a hero's clearing or field.
also spelled
Hellerman
Helerman
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Heintze, Albert. Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich. 1903
Bahlow, Hans. Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt. 1967
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
