A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wex family of Germany.
Reg. 5881 · German, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 de gu. plein; au 2 d'arg. à deux fasces de sa. Cq. cour. C.: deux prob. coupées, à dextre de gu. sur arg., à sen. d'arg. sur sa., ornées chacune dans son embouchure de trois pl. d'aut. de sa. L.: à dextre d'arg. et de gu., à sen. d'arg. et de sa.”
Germanyc. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Wex arms are recorded
The Wex arms were recorded in Germany, 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 Wex 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 Wex Family in Germany
The family name Wex has deep roots in the historical region of Bavaria, where records confirm members of the family were established by the year 1765. The name likely originated as a shortened form of names beginning with the Germanic element "Wig," which translates to war or battle. In the eighteenth century, Bavaria was a place of significant agricultural and social transition, and families like the Wex line were often tied to the land or specialized local trades. As the population grew and moved through the southern German states, the name became a distinct marker of regional identity. By maintaining their presence in the Bavarian countryside, the early generations of the Wex family contributed to the local community structure and the long-standing cultural traditions of the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wachs
German word for wax or a person who works with wax.
This name
WexAn occupational surname for a wax chandler or someone who dealt in beeswax.
also spelled
Weixer
Weixe
Vix
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
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
