A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Koeppe family of Germany.
Reg. 6358 · German, J–L
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à un cep de vigne de sin., fruité d'or, accolé à son échalas. C.: le meuble de l'écu. L.: d'arg. et d'or.”
PomeraniaPomerania, c. 1765
Where the Koeppe Arms Were Recorded
Map of Germany showing where the Koeppe arms are recorded
The Koeppe arms were recorded in Pomerania, c. 1765.
Pomerania was flat farming country on the Baltic coast, held in large estates by a small number of families. They kept their land for generations, and generations of landholding is what fills the registers.
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 Koeppe 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 Pomerania.
Origin & History of the Koeppe Family in Germany
The family name Koeppe originates from the Low German regions of Northern Europe, where it functioned as a diminutive form of the name Jakob. During the eighteenth century, the family established a strong presence in the historical region of Pomerania. By 1765, records confirm that members of the Koeppe family were integrated into the local agricultural and social structures of this Baltic coastal area. Because Pomerania was a region defined by shifting borders and complex land management, families like the Koeppes often lived as tenant farmers or tradespeople within the Prussian administrative system. The name evolved over generations as it moved through various regional dialects, eventually stabilizing into the spelling recognized today. This history reflects the broader movement of families across Northern Germany during a time of significant economic transition and rural development.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Koppe
A Middle High German term referring to a rounded hill or summit.
This name
KoeppeA topographic name for someone who lived on or near a rounded mountain peak or hill.
also spelled
Koeppe
Keppe
Coppe
Kope
Koepe
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 Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich. 1903
Landesarchiv Greifswald. Kirchenbücher der Provinz Pommern. 1765
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grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
