Map of Germany showing where the Hohner arms are recorded
The Hohner 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 Hohner 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 Hohner Family in Germany
The Hohner family name finds its historical roots in the region of Franconia, a historic area in southern Germany. Records confirm that members of the family were established in this territory by 1765. The name likely developed as a descriptive term for people living near specific geographical features or those who held a particular role in their local village. During the eighteenth century, the people of Franconia were deeply connected to the land, often working as farmers or skilled craftspeople. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the region, contributing to the agricultural and economic life of their communities. By settling in this area, the early Hohner ancestors helped define the local culture that shaped the identity of the family for generations to come.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hoh
A Middle High German term referring to a hill or height.
This name
HohnerA topographic name for someone who lived on or near a prominent hill.
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bavarian State Archives (Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv), Kurbayern Hofkammer Buchhaltung
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1971
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1925
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