A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Keena family of Germany.
knightChivalry and service in armsJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à un sauvage”
The Keena arms were recorded in Wangen Wurt, 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.
Reigning in Germany when the Keena arms are first recorded.
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.
The family name Keena has deep roots in the town of Wangen, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1765. During the eighteenth century, Wangen was a bustling center of trade and agriculture, and families like the Keenas were often tied to the local economy through farming or specialized craftsmanship. In this region, surnames were frequently shaped by the local dialect and the specific roles individuals played within their village community. As the family grew, they became a stable part of the town’s social fabric, contributing to the daily life and development of the area over many generations. By studying these early records, we can see that the Keena family was well-established in the region long before the modern era, reflecting the steady patterns of migration and settlement that defined life in southern Germany during the late 1700s.
Derived from the Middle High German word for bold or daring.
