Map of Germany showing where the Passow arms are recorded
The Passow arms were recorded in Mecklenburg, c. 1765.
Mecklenburg was farming country in the north of Germany, held by a small number of families who kept their estates for generations. Owning land was what entitled a family to arms, so a great many Mecklenburg names ended up 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 Passow 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 Mecklenburg.
Origin & History of the Passow Family in Germany
The surname Passow originates from the Mecklenburg region of northern Germany, where the family established deep roots by the mid-eighteenth century. The name is classified as a locative surname, meaning it was likely derived from the town of Passow located in the Uckermark district or a similar settlement in the Mecklenburg area. During the 1700s, families in this region were often identified by the village where they lived or worked as tenant farmers and laborers. By 1765, records confirm that members of the Passow family were well-integrated into the local social structure of Mecklenburg. This period was characterized by a transition toward more formal record-keeping in parish registers, which helped solidify the spelling of the name as families moved between rural estates and small market towns. The history of the name reflects the broader movement of people across the North German Plain, where individuals were closely tied to the land and the local administrative districts of the era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pass
A narrow passage or mountain path.
This name
PassowA topographic name for someone who lived near a mountain pass or a narrow corridor.
also spelled
Passo
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
