Map of Germany showing where the Henig arms are recorded
The Henig arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1556.
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 Henig 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 Henig Family in Germany
The surname Henig finds its historical roots in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, with documented evidence placing family members in the Bavarian region as early as 1556. The name is considered a diminutive form of the name Heinrich, which was a very popular choice during the Middle Ages. In the Bavarian dialect, adding the suffix "ig" to a name often served as a way to indicate a younger person or a smaller version of a name. Families carrying this name were typically part of the rural or merchant classes who lived in the small towns and agricultural villages that dotted the landscape of the Holy Roman Empire. As the family moved and grew over the centuries, they contributed to the local economy through trades and farming, helping to shape the cultural identity of southern Germany during the period of the Reformation.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hano
A Germanic personal name derived from the element for home or enclosure.
This name
HenigA patronymic surname indicating descent from a person named Hano or Johannes.
also spelled
Henig
Hennick
Henning
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
savages head affrontyAn enemy overcome
