Map of Germany showing where the Press arms are recorded
The Press 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 Press 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 Press Family in Germany
The family name Press traces its roots to the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, with documented evidence placing early members in the electorate of Saxony by 1765. The name likely originated as a descriptive occupational surname, often used to identify individuals who worked with heavy machinery or tools that involved pressing, such as wine makers, oil millers, or bookbinders. During the eighteenth century, Saxony was a hub of industrial and agricultural activity, and families often adopted names that reflected their specific trade within the local community. As these individuals moved through the region, the name became a permanent identifier for their descendants, linking the family history to the skilled labor and economic life of the Saxon landscape.
Press Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
pressare
Latin verb meaning to press, squeeze, or exert force.
This name
PressAn occupational surname for someone who operated a wine or cider press.
also spelled
Preusse
Preus
Preussz
Prois
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Heintze, Albert. Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich. 1903
Bahlow, Hans. Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt. 1967
Sächsisches Staatsarchiv. Kirchenbücher der evangelisch-lutherischen Landeskirche Sachsens. 1765
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