A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Neben family of Germany.
Reg. 3864 · German, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Tranché: au 1 d'azur au lion d'or; au 2 de gu. à la fasce d'arg., ch. d'une rose de gu. Cq. cour. C.: un vol, l'aile dextre d'azur à la fasce d'or, l'aile sen. de gu. à la fasce d'arg. ch. d'une rose de gu. L.: à dextre d'or et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Neben arms are recorded
The Neben arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1765.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bavaria.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit in 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 Neben 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Neben Family in Germany
The family name Neben finds its historical roots in the southern German region of Bavaria, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1765. The name likely originated as a topographic or descriptive surname, as the German word "neben" translates to "beside" or "next to." In the social structure of the eighteenth century, such names were often given to families who lived near a specific landmark, such as a local church, a stream, or the edge of a village. By settling in the Bavarian landscape, these early ancestors were part of a period defined by agrarian growth and the expansion of rural communities. As the family established their presence in the region, they became part of the local fabric of village life, contributing to the agricultural and social development of their home parishes during a time of significant cultural change in the Holy Roman Empire.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
neben
A Middle High German preposition meaning beside, near, or next to.
This name
NebenA topographic name for someone who lived next to a specific landmark or neighbor.
also spelled
Neffen
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bavarian State Archives (Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv), Kurbayern Hofkammer Buchhaltung
Bavarian State Archives (Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv), Pfarrbücher der Erzdiözese München und Freising
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
Kohlheim, Rosa and Volker Kohlheim, Duden Familiennamen: Herkunft und Bedeutung von 20.000 Nachnamen, 2005
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
lionCourage, strength and royalty
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
