A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hertzberg family of Germany.
Reg. 8565 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
ermineDignity and rank
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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 cerf d'arg., ramé d'or, pass. sur un tertre de sin., la poitrine de cerf semée de mouchetures d'hermine d'azur. Cq. cour. C.: un vol à l'antique d'arg., ch. de deux mouch. d'herm. d'azur. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
MecklenburgMecklenburg, c. 1779
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Map of Germany showing where the Hertzberg arms are recorded
The Hertzberg arms were recorded in Mecklenburg, c. 1779.
Mecklenburg was farming country in the north of Germany, held by a small number of families who kept their estates for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so a great many Mecklenburg names ended up 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.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Germany when the Hertzberg 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 Mecklenburg.
Origin & History of the Hertzberg Family in Germany
The surname Hertzberg is a topographical name that likely originated from the German words for heart and mountain. Families carrying this name were well-established in the Mecklenburg region of northern Germany by the late 18th century. Historical records confirm that members of the family were living in this area as early as 1779. During this period, Mecklenburg was a region defined by its rural estates and a rigid social structure. Families like the Hertzbergs often lived in small villages where they worked as farmers, craftsmen, or local officials. Because the name is linked to the landscape, it suggests that the earliest ancestors may have lived near a prominent hill or a ridge that local people associated with the shape of a heart. Over time, the family became a part of the local fabric of Mecklenburg, contributing to the agricultural and social life of the region for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Herz and Berg
Heart and mountain or hill.
This name
HertzbergA topographic name for someone living on a heart-shaped hill or a mountain associated with a heart.
also spelled
Herzberg
Hertzburg
Related arms
Hersbergvariant spelling
Herzbergvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Lisch, Georg Christian Friedrich, Mecklenburgische Urkunden und Daten, 1860
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
ermineDignity and rank
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
ermineDignity and rank
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
