A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Heringer family of Germany.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Coupé: au 1 d'arg. à un”
The Heringer arms were recorded in Franconia, c. 1765.
Franconia was a patchwork of small territories in central Germany, full of minor landowners and prosperous market towns. So many separate households held land there that the region produced a great many coats of 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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Germany in this period.
Reigning in Germany when the Heringer arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Heringer originates from the historic region of Franconia, a territory in central Germany known for its deep cultural roots and rolling landscapes. By the year 1765, records confirm that members of the Heringer family were well-established residents within this area. The name itself is likely occupational or topographic in origin, often linked to the German word for herring or a person who lived near a specific water source. During the eighteenth century, families in this region were typically tied to the land through farming or local trades, contributing to the growth of rural village life. As the family expanded, they became part of the social fabric of Franconian society, navigating the changing political landscape of the Holy Roman Empire and the eventual transition into the modern German states.
An ancient Germanic term referring to an army or a warrior.
