A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Kluever family of Germany.
Reg. 4481 · 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 Kluever arms are recorded
The Kluever 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 Kluever 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 Kluever Family in Germany
The family name Kluever originates from the Westphalia region of Germany, where records confirm the family was established by at least 1765. The name is derived from the Low German word "Klüver," which historically referred to a person who split wood or worked as a woodcutter. In the rural landscape of eighteenth-century Westphalia, surnames often functioned as descriptions of a person’s trade or their specific role within a village community. Families with this name were likely involved in the forestry or agricultural industries that defined the local economy at the time. Over generations, the name became a permanent marker of identity for these individuals as they moved from simple occupational descriptions to formal family lineages. This transition reflects the broader movement of German families during the late eighteenth century as they settled into stable communities and established deep roots in the Westphalian countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Kluver
A person who works with or makes keys.
This name
KlueverAn occupational surname for a locksmith or a key maker.
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen, Kirchenbücher der evangelischen und katholischen Kirchengemeinden in Westfalen, 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
