A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Middendorf family of Poland.
Reg. 7563 · Polish, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
beeIndustry, order and tireless work
acornAntiquity and strength from small beginnings
shipEnterprise, and a great voyage undertaken
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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'or à la fasce d'azur, ch. de trois abeilles d'arg., et acc. en chef de trois glands tigés et feuillés sur une terrasse isolée, le tout de sin., et en p. d'un canot de gu., portant un pennon du même sur la poupe. Cq. cour. C.: les trois glands tigés et feuillés, entre deux pl. d'aut. d'or. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
LivoniaLivonia, c. 1772
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Map of Poland showing where the Middendorf arms are recorded
The Middendorf arms were recorded in Livonia, c. 1772.
Livonia was Baltic country held by a small number of landed families who kept their estates for centuries. Land there passed down whole rather than being divided, and long unbroken tenure is what fills a register.
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.
Region
Livonia
First recorded
1772
Granting Authority for the Middendorf Arms
Ennoblement by the Sejm
Author: Olek Remesz · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Poland in this period.
Stanisław August Poniatowski
Sovereign of the period
Stanisław August Poniatowski
1764–1795
Reigning in Poland when the Middendorf arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Poland
Polish noble families shared a single coat of arms across many different surnames, creating large clans rather than individual designs. These symbols were held collectively by all members of the clan regardless of their specific family name. When a new family joined the nobility, they were adopted into an existing clan and began using that group's established shield.
Granting authority
The Sejm, which was the Polish parliament, held the power to grant noble status and the right to bear arms.
How they got arms
Families typically received their coat of arms through a formal act of ennoblement granted by the Sejm for distinguished service.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Crown Metrica, which served as the central archive for state documents starting in the sixteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Livonia.
Origin & History of the Middendorf Family in Poland
The surname Middendorf originates from the Low German language and translates literally to middle village or middle farm. This name likely served as a topographical identifier for families who lived in the central portion of a settlement or between two larger estates. By 1772, records confirm that members of the Middendorf family were established in the region of Livonia, which is modern-day Estonia and Latvia. During this period, the family was integrated into the complex social and administrative structures of the Baltic provinces. Many individuals with this name were part of the educated professional class, often serving as pastors, scholars, or landowners within the local Baltic German community. Their presence in Livonia reflects the broader migration patterns of people moving across Northern Europe to seek new opportunities in trade and agriculture during the eighteenth century.
Middendorf Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Midden-dorp
Middle village or settlement located between other places.
This name
MiddendorfRefers to a person who originated from a village situated in a central or middle location.
also spelled
Middendorf
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bunge, Friedrich Georg von, Die Quellen des Revaler Stadtrechts, 1844
Hasselblatt, Arnold and Otto, Album academicum der Kaiserlichen Universität Dorpat, 1889
Latvian State Historical Archives, Livland Adelsmatrikel, 1772
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
beeIndustry, order and tireless work
acornAntiquity and strength from small beginnings
shipEnterprise, and a great voyage undertaken
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
beeIndustry, order and tireless work
acornAntiquity and strength from small beginnings
shipEnterprise, and a great voyage undertaken
flag / pennantA command held, and a following kept
