Map of Germany showing where the Struve arms are recorded
The Struve arms were recorded in Russie, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Germany when the Struve 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 Struve Family in Germany
The family name Struve originates from the Low German word *struve*, which historically referred to a type of fried pancake or fritter. In the medieval period, this name often functioned as a nickname for someone who made or sold these popular treats. By the time the family established a documented presence in Bavaria in 1765, the name had evolved from a simple descriptor into a formal surname passed down through generations. While the name has roots in the northern regions of Germany, its appearance in southern areas like Bavaria suggests that members of the family likely migrated for trade or agricultural opportunities during the eighteenth century. This movement was common for families of that era who sought to establish new roots in growing communities while maintaining the identity tied to their ancestral trade.
Struve Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Struve
Derived from the Middle Low German word struve meaning disheveled or rough.
This name
StruveA descriptive nickname for a person with messy, unkempt, or bushy hair.
also spelled
Struvee
Related arms
Kellerrecorded with Struve, same area
Lüdinghausen dit Wolfrecorded with Struve, same area
Manteuffelrecorded with Struve, same area
Manteuffel auf Proltzrecorded with Struve, same area
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
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
