A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Klaver family of Germany.
Reg. 0381 · German, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
pawStrength held ready, the beast's power in a single limb
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à une patte d'ours de sa., mouv. du flanc sen. de l'écu. C.: une boule d'azur, cintrée de deux branches de sin. comme un monde héraldique: cette boule supp. une colonne d'or, sommée d'une queue de paon au nat. et accostée de sept banderoles aux armes de l'écu, trois à dextre et quatre à sen.”
WestphaliaWestphalia, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Klaver arms are recorded
The Klaver arms were recorded in Westphalia, c. 1765.
Westphalia was a land of small estates and fortified farmhouses in western Germany. Its families were numerous and not especially rich, but each held its own ground, and holding ground was what brought 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 Klaver 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 Westphalia.
Origin & History of the Klaver Family in Germany
The family name Klaver finds its roots in the Low German and Dutch linguistic regions, where it is derived from the word for clover. In the mid-eighteenth century, the name was well-established in the Westphalia region of Germany. Families bearing this name during the 1760s were typically involved in agrarian life, as the name often served as a topographical descriptor for those who lived near clover fields or worked as farmers. Because Westphalia served as a crossroads for trade and migration between the German states and the Netherlands, the Klaver family likely maintained strong ties to both regional agricultural traditions and local village governance. By 1765, these families were deeply integrated into the local parish systems, which recorded their births, marriages, and deaths as part of the standard administrative practices of the time.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Clavus
Latin term meaning a nail, spike, or clover-like leaf shape.
This name
KlaverA topographic name for someone living near a clover field or a nickname for a clover farmer.
also spelled
Kluever
Kluverh
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 nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung, 1971
Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen, Kirchenbücher der Westfälischen Provinzen, 1765
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
pawStrength held ready, the beast's power in a single limb
pawStrength held ready, the beast's power in a single limb
