Map of Germany showing where the Holdener arms are recorded
The Holdener arms were recorded in Brunswick, c. 1765.
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 Holdener 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 Holdener Family in Germany
The family name Holdener originates from the German-speaking regions of Europe, where it functioned as a descriptive occupational or topographical surname. In the Middle Ages, names were often derived from a person’s trade or the specific land they inhabited. The root of the name suggests a connection to someone who held or managed land, or perhaps someone who served as a caretaker for a specific property. By 1765, records confirm that members of the Holdener family were well-established in the region of Brunswick. During this period, the family likely participated in the local agricultural or mercantile economy that defined the area. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of Brunswick, contributing to the community through their work and daily lives in a time of significant transition for German society.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hold
Derived from the Middle High German word for loyal or gracious.
This name
HoldenerRefers to a person who held or occupied a specific piece of land.
also spelled
Holdener
Holdin
Holdon
Holdyn
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
Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv, Bestand NLA WO, 1 Alt A (Herzogtum Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, Ämter und Klöster)
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wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
