A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Segner family of Germany.
Reg. 1318 · German, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 la bande de gu., ch. de trois roses d'arg. et acc. de deux léopards naturels, pass. chacun sur une terrasse de sin., celui du chef côtoyant la bande, celui de la p. posée en bande dans l'angle dextre de la p. de l'écu; le léopard du chef tenant de sa patte dextre une seule flèche d'or et celui de la p. cinq flèches du même. Cq. cour. C.: un léopard naturel, iss., tenant de sa patte dextre une épée d'arg., garnie d'or, entre trois pennons coupés d'or sur azur à dextre et trois pennons coupés d'arg. sur gu. à sen. L.: à dextre d'or et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1596
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Map of Germany showing where the Segner arms are recorded
The Segner arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1596.
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.
Emperor Rudolf II
Sovereign of the period
Emperor Rudolf II
1576–1612
Reigning in Germany when the Segner 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 Segner Family in Germany
The surname Segner traces its roots to the southern regions of Germany, with documented evidence placing the family in Bavaria as early as 1596. The name is believed to have originated as an occupational or descriptive term derived from the Middle High German word *segen*, which relates to the act of blessing or the work of a sower. During the late sixteenth century, the Segner family lived within a society defined by agrarian traditions and the shifting religious landscape of the Holy Roman Empire. As members of the local community, they were likely involved in the agricultural life of the Bavarian countryside, where names were often tied to a person's trade or their specific role within a village. Over the following centuries, the family name spread from these rural Bavarian origins into broader regions of Central Europe, eventually becoming associated with scholars and professionals who contributed to the intellectual development of the German-speaking lands.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Segen
A German word meaning blessing or prosperity.
This name
SegnerA topographic or occupational name for someone who lived near or worked with a blessing-related site.
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
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
lionCourage, strength and royalty
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
lionCourage, strength and royalty
