A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Melen family of Germany.
Reg. 6254 · German, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 une ancre renv. de sa., accostée de deux roses de gu. C.: trois branches de rosier feuillées de sin., fleuries chacune de trois pièces mal-ordonnées de gu. L. d'arg et de gu.”
BrandenburgBrandenburg, c. 1765
Where the Melen Arms Were Recorded
Brandenburg
Map of Germany showing where the Melen arms are recorded
The Melen arms were recorded in Brandenburg, c. 1765.
Brandenburg was sandy farming country around Berlin, held in large estates by families who served as officers. Land and military service each brought arms, and most families there had both.
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 Melen 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 Brandenburg.
Origin & History of the Melen Family in Germany
The surname Melen has deep roots in the historical region of Brandenburg, where family members were documented as early as 1765. During the eighteenth century, Brandenburg was a central part of the Kingdom of Prussia, a time characterized by significant agricultural development and the expansion of rural villages. Families with this name likely lived as farmers or tradespeople who contributed to the local economy of the Prussian heartland. The name itself may have originated as a topographical descriptor, potentially referring to people who lived near a mill or a specific sandy landscape, as the linguistic roots of the region often tied surnames to the immediate natural environment. As the family established themselves in this area, they became part of the steady growth of the Prussian state, living through a period of intense social and political change that shaped the modern German identity.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Milo
A Germanic name element derived from the word for mild or gentle.
This name
MelenA patronymic or descriptive surname indicating a descendant of someone named Milo or a person with a gentle disposition.
also spelled
Moehlen
Mehlen
Melen
Molen
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, I. Hauptabteilung Repositur 9 (General-Direktorium)
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
