A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hespen family of Germany.
Reg. 9670 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
lionCourage, strength and royalty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Ec.: au 1 parti: a. d'or à la demi-aigle de sa., bq., m. et cour. du champ, languée de gu., mouv. du parti, tenant de sa serre un sceptre d'or et une épée d'arg., garnie d'or; b. d'or plein; aux 2 et 3 de sa. au lion d'or, cour. du même, tenant entre ses pattes une étoile (8) d'arg., le lion du 3 cont.; au 4 parti: a. d'or plein; b. d'or à la demi-aigle de sa., bq., m. et cour. du champ, languée de gu., mouv. du parti, tenant de sa serre un monde d'or. Sur le tout divisé en chev. de gu. sur arg., l'arg. ch. d'une rose de gu., bout. d'or; au chev. de gu., dont le bord supérieur est d'arg., br. sur la division. Cq. cour. C.: une aigle ép. de sa., bq., m. et chaque tête cour. d'or, languée de gu., tenant de sa serre dextre un sceptre d'or et une épée d'arg., garnie”
HolsteinHolstein, c. 1686
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
Map of Germany showing where the Hespen arms are recorded
The Hespen arms were recorded in Holstein, c. 1686.
Holstein was farming country between the North Sea and the Baltic, held in large estates. The same families kept the same land for generations, and generations of holding is what fills a register.
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.
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
1658–1705
Reigning in Germany when the Hespen 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 Holstein.
Origin & History of the Hespen Family in Germany
The family name Hespen finds its roots in the northern German region of Holstein, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1686. During the late seventeenth century, Holstein was a landscape defined by its proximity to the North and Baltic Seas, which shaped the daily lives of those living there. Families like the Hespens often lived in rural or semi-rural communities where they were likely involved in agriculture or regional trade. The name itself is thought to be topographical or descriptive, potentially linked to the local Low German dialects spoken in the region at the time. As the family grew, they remained part of the social fabric of northern Germany, navigating the complex political shifts and agricultural developments that defined life in the Duchy of Holstein during the early modern period.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hesperus
Derived from the Greek word for the evening star or west.
This name
HespenA topographic or habitational name referring to someone living in the western region.
also spelled
Hespen
Heespan
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Schütze, Johann Friedrich, Holsteinisches Idiotikon: Ein Beitrag zur Volkssittengeschichte, 1800
Landesarchiv Schleswig-Holstein, Kirchenbücher der evangelisch-lutherischen Landeskirche, 1686
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
lionCourage, strength and royalty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
