A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Heyder family of Germany.
Reg. 8717 · German, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
knightChivalry and service in arms
columnFortitude and constancy
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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.: aux 1 et 4 d'or à un homme iss., hab. de sa., au rabat d'arg., tort. de gu., posé de front, tenant de chaque main une flèche de gu., empennée d'azur, en pal, la pointe en bas; acc. d'un tertre de trois coupeaux de sa. en p.; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à une piramide triangulaire d'arg., sommée d'un soleil d'or, posée sur un échiqueté d'azur et d'arg., les points rangés selon la perspective d'un pavé; ladite piramide percée d'une porte de sa. sur le flanc dextre. Cq. cour. C.: deux bras arm., celui à dextre éc. de sa. et d'or, celui à sen. éc. d'arg. et d'azur, chaque main tenant une flèche pareille à celles du 1, passées en saut., les pointes en bas. L.: à dextre d'or et de sa., à sen. d'arg. et d'azur.”
Germanyc. 1765
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 Heyder arms are recorded
The Heyder arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Heyder 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Heyder Family in Germany
The surname Heyder is rooted in the linguistic traditions of southern Germany, specifically within the Bavarian region where the family was established by at least 1765. The name is classified as an occupational or descriptive surname, likely derived from the Middle High German word *heide*, which refers to a person who lived on or worked upon a heath or uncultivated field. During the eighteenth century, families in Bavaria often identified themselves by their proximity to specific geographic landmarks or their roles in rural agricultural life. As the Heyder family settled into the local community, the name became a permanent marker of their ancestral connection to the rugged, open landscapes of the region. This transition from a descriptive term to a formal family name reflects the broader social patterns of the era, as village populations grew and required more precise ways to distinguish between different households.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Heide
A tract of uncultivated land or heath.
This name
HeyderAn occupational name for someone who lived on or worked on a heath.
also spelled
Heydar
Hayder
Related arms
Heidervariant spelling
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 Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
knightChivalry and service in arms
columnFortitude and constancy
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
