A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wee family of Denmark.
Reg. 9076 · Danish, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
acornAntiquity and strength from small beginnings
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à la barre d'azur, ch. de trois glands effeuillés d'or, posés chacun en bande, la queue en bas. C.: trois glands mal-ordonnés d'or, mouv. d'une même tige; entre deux prob., coupées alt. de gu. et d'azur.”
Denmarkc. 1722
Where the Wee Arms Were Recorded
Sjaælland
Map of Denmark showing where the Wee arms are recorded
The Wee arms were recorded in Denmark, c. 1722.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Sjaælland.
Zealand held the Danish court, the crown's offices and Copenhagen itself. Families who served the king kept estates within reach of it, and royal service was the ordinary route to a coat of arms.
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 Denmark in this period.
Frederik IV of Denmark
Sovereign of the period
Frederik IV of Denmark
1699–1730
Reigning in Denmark when the Wee arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Denmark
Danish heraldry during this period was closely tied to noble status and royal favor rather than being open to all citizens. Arms were typically granted by the monarch to individuals, and these symbols were then shared by all members of the noble house. If a family line died out, the right to use those specific arms ended with them.
Granting authority
The Danish royal chancery held the power to issue and regulate official coats of arms for the kingdom.
How they got arms
Families usually received their arms through a formal royal grant that confirmed their noble status and rights.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Danish Royal Chancery records starting in the sixteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Denmark.
Origin & History of the Wee Family in Denmark
The family name Wee has deep roots tied to the landscape of Denmark, with documented evidence placing members of the family in the region of Sjælland as early as 1722. In the Danish language, the word "ve" or "wee" historically referred to a sacred place, a shrine, or a protected meadow. Families often adopted these names to describe the specific location where they lived or worked, as surnames were still evolving during the eighteenth century. By settling in Sjælland, the early ancestors of the Wee family became part of a rural society defined by farming and local community ties. Over time, the name transitioned from a simple geographical description into a permanent family identifier that was passed down through generations. This evolution reflects the broader history of how common people in Scandinavia established their identities through the land they cultivated and the places they called home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Vé
A sacred place, shrine, or holy enclosure in Old Norse.
This name
WeeRefers to a person who lived near or served at a sacred site.
also spelled
Wee
Weh
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Rigsarkivet (The Danish National Archives), Kirkebøger for Sjællands Stift (Parish registers for the Diocese of Sjælland)
Rigsarkivet (The Danish National Archives), Folketællinger (Census records)
Nielsen, Oluf, Danske Navne (1883)
Kousgård Sørensen, John, Danske Navne (1987)
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acornAntiquity and strength from small beginnings
acornAntiquity and strength from small beginnings
