A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Nickeritz family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 9310 · German, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saracens head affronty coupedA crusade fought, and an enemy met in the field
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à quatre têtes de Tartare de carn., coiffées de turbans d'arg., posées de front, 1 et 3. C.: trois des têtes de l'écu, accostées.”
SaxonySaxony, c. 1765
Where the Nickeritz Arms Were Recorded
Saxony
Map of Germany showing where the Nickeritz arms are recorded
The Nickeritz arms were recorded in Saxony, c. 1765.
Saxony had mines, trade and old landed families all at once. Silver made some fortunes and land held others, and both sorts of family kept arms, which is why Saxon names appear so often 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 Nickeritz 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 Saxony.
Origin & History of the Nickeritz Family in Germany
The family name Nickeritz finds its historical roots in the region of Saxony, where records confirm the presence of family members as early as 1765. The name itself is likely locational in origin, derived from the small village of Nickeritz located near the town of Riesa. During the eighteenth century, families in this part of Germany were often identified by the specific village or estate where they lived and worked. As the family moved or expanded across the Saxon landscape, the name served as a permanent link to their ancestral home. Life in Saxony during this period was defined by agricultural labor and local trade, and the Nickeritz family would have been part of the rural social structure that supported the regional economy. By maintaining this name, the family preserved a connection to the geography of the Elbe River valley, which remained the central hub of their early history.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Colours
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)
“de gu. et les têtes au nombre de trois, 1 et 2, les têtes du cimier ayant le turban panaché d'une seule plume, la première de sa., la deuxième d'arg. et la troisième de gu.”
Francec. 1663
Where the Nickeritz Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Nickeritz arms are recorded
The Nickeritz arms were recorded in France, c. 1663.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
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 France in this period.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in Germany when the Nickeritz arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of France.
Origin & History of the Nickeritz Family in France
The Nickeritz family name first appears in the historical record of the Brittany region of France during the year 1663. At this time, the family was established within a society defined by rural traditions and the strict social hierarchies of the seventeenth century. While the name itself suggests roots that may have originated outside of the French borders, the family integrated into the local Breton community by participating in the agricultural and parish life that governed the province. During this era, families in Brittany often moved between small villages to find work as tenant farmers or skilled tradespeople. The presence of the Nickeritz name in these early records indicates that they were part of a mobile population that helped shape the local economy of western France. By maintaining their presence in the region, the family became a part of the long history of migration and settlement that defined the coastal communities of the French Atlantic.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Nikolaus
Derived from Greek meaning victory of the people.
This name
NickeritzA locative surname referring to someone originating from a place named Nickeritz in Saxony.
also spelled
Nickerits
Nickeriz
Nikerits
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Sächsisches Staatsarchiv, Kirchenbücher der Parochie Riesa (1765)
Sächsisches Staatsarchiv, Grundsteuerkataster des Amtes Oschatz (1765)
Eichler, Ernst, Deutsches Ortsnamenbuch (2009)
Udolph, Jürgen, Die Ortsnamen Sachsens (2001)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saracens head affronty coupedA crusade fought, and an enemy met in the field
saracens head affronty coupedA crusade fought, and an enemy met in the field
