Map of Germany showing where the Oberhausen arms are recorded
The Oberhausen arms were recorded in Brunswick, c. 1765.
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 Oberhausen 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 Oberhausen Family in Germany
The surname Oberhausen is a topographical name, meaning it was originally derived from a specific place rather than a trade or a personal nickname. In German, the name translates to "upper houses" or "the settlement located higher up," which suggests that the earliest ancestors lived on elevated land or at the top of a village. By 1765, records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Brunswick. During this period, families in the area were often tied to the local agricultural economy or specialized crafts within the growing towns of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. As the family moved or expanded, they carried this descriptive name with them, marking their origins from a higher-situated homestead in the German landscape.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ober-Haus
Upper or higher house or dwelling.
This name
OberhausenRefers to someone living in the upper or higher house of a settlement.
also spelled
Oberhausene
Oberhausens
Oberhauzen
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
Niedersächsisches Landesarchiv, Bestand 1 Alt: Allgemeines Archiv des Fürstentums Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, 1765
Udolph, Jürgen, 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.
wheelFortune's turning, and the carter's trade
wheelFortune's turning, and the carter's trade
