A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wedemeyer family of Germany.
Reg. 5133 · German, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Coupé de sa. sur or; au lion de l'un en l'autre, tenant de sa patte dextre une palme de sin. et de sa sen. une étoile d'arg., br. sur le coupé. C.: le lion, iss. L. d'or et de sa.”
MecklenburgHan · Mecklenburg, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Wedemeyer arms are recorded
The Wedemeyer 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 Wedemeyer 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 Wedemeyer Family in Germany
The surname Wedemeyer is a classic example of a German occupational name that evolved from the medieval term *wedemeier*. In the Middle Ages, this title referred to a person who managed the land and property belonging to a local church, often serving as a steward or a farm manager for the clergy. By the time the family was firmly established in the Mecklenburg region of northern Germany in 1765, the name had become a stable hereditary surname used to identify families who held these specific administrative roles. Because the Mecklenburg area was historically defined by its large manorial estates and agricultural traditions, the Wedemeyer family likely played a key role in the local rural economy. Over generations, the name transitioned from a description of a person’s job into a permanent family identity that persisted long after the original administrative duties were forgotten.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wido and Mari
Wood or wide and famous or great.
This name
WedemeyerA compound occupational or patronymic name referring to a steward or guardian of a church property.
also spelled
Wedemayer
Wedemier
Related arms
Reichellsimilar arms
Rosenlewsimilar arms
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 Familien-Namen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
lionCourage, strength and royalty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
lionCourage, strength and royalty
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
