A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hessler family of Germany.
Reg. 0390 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec. en saut. d'or et d'azur. C.: deux prob. de gu., ornées chacune à l'ext. de trois pl. d'aut. d'arg. et dans l'embouchure d'un panache de plumes de coq de sa.”
FranconiaFranconia, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Hessler arms are recorded
The Hessler 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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Hessler 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 Franconia.
Origin & History of the Hessler Family in Germany
The surname Hessler originated as a geographic identifier in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically within the historic territory of Franconia. The name is derived from the word Hess, which was a common term used to describe someone who migrated from the region of Hesse. By adding the suffix -ler, the name evolved to describe a person who lived in or originated from a specific place associated with those settlers. By 1765, families bearing the Hessler name were well-established in the Franconian landscape, where they were likely integrated into the local agricultural or trade communities. During this period, the region was characterized by small village life and complex land ownership, meaning that families like the Hesslers were often recorded in local parish registers as they moved through the various administrative districts of the Holy Roman Empire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hessel
A diminutive form of the Germanic name Hartwig or a hazel tree.
This name
HesslerA habitational name for someone originating from a place named Hessel or a descendant of Hessel.
also spelled
Hesler
Hesslar
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
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 1971
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
