A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wick family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 4962 · German, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 un chevalier, arm. d'or, tenant de sa main dextre une épée d'arg. en pal, et appuyant sa sen. sur un écusson triangulaire d'arg. ch. d'une aigle ép. de sa. Cq. cour. C.: une fleur-de-lis héraldique d'arg., tigée et feuillée du même, entre deux prob. coupées, à dextre d'or sur gu., à sen. de gu. sur arg. L.: conformes aux émaux des prob.”
MecklenburgHan · Mecklenburg, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Wick arms are recorded
The Wick 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 Wick 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 Wick Family in Germany
The surname Wick finds its roots in the linguistic landscape of Northern Germany, where it functioned as a topographical name. In Old German and Low German dialects, the term "wik" or "wiek" referred to a bay, a small inlet, or a settlement located near a body of water. Families who took this name often lived near the Baltic Sea coast or along the many rivers that define the Mecklenburg region. By the time records place the family in Mecklenburg in 1765, the name had already been established for generations as a way to identify people by their specific geographic surroundings. During this era, life in Mecklenburg was defined by agricultural labor and the rigid social structures of the rural countryside. As members of this family navigated the local parish systems and regional land records, they helped form the backbone of the coastal communities that shaped the history of Northern Germany.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
branchPeace, and new growth
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“D'azur à trois roseaux d'or, tigés et feuillés de sin., posés sur un tertre du même. C.: un homme iss., hab. d'or et d'un surtout d'azur, tenant un roseau de l'écu.”
SwitzerlandBâle, c. 1745
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Map of Switzerland showing where the Wick arms are recorded
The Wick arms were recorded in Bâle, c. 1745.
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 Switzerland in this period.
How Arms Worked in Switzerland
In Switzerland, coats of arms were not restricted to the nobility and were often adopted by common citizens and families. These symbols were passed down through generations to show family identity. When branches of a family grew, they often changed small details of the design to distinguish their own line from the original group.
Granting authority
Cantonal and civic authorities managed the use of coats of arms within their specific regions and local jurisdictions.
How they got arms
Families typically assumed their own coats of arms based on local custom rather than receiving them from a central monarch.
Where arms were recorded
Arms were recorded in various cantonal and civic registers starting from the fourteenth century throughout the Swiss region.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Switzerland.
Origin & History of the Wick Family in Switzerland
The family name Wick has deep roots in the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, where it functioned as a topographic surname. In the local dialects of the time, the term referred to a dwelling, a village, or a specific plot of land, suggesting that the earliest ancestors were likely farmers or landowners who identified themselves by their place of residence. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family had established a clear presence in the city of Bâle. Records from 1745 confirm that members of the Wick family were active participants in the urban life of this bustling trade hub. During this period, Bâle served as a vital center for commerce and craftsmanship, and families like the Wicks often integrated into the city’s guild systems or merchant networks. Their transition from rural landholders to city residents reflects the broader movement of Swiss families toward economic centers during the Enlightenment era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
vicus
Latin term for a village, district, or row of houses.
This name
WickRefers to a person who lived in or originated from a village or a specific settlement.
also spelled
Wicke
Wickk
Wickh
Vik
Related arms
de Wichvariant spelling
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
Landeshauptarchiv Schwerin, Kirchenbücher der Evangelisch-Lutherischen Landeskirche Mecklenburgs (Parish registers of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Mecklenburg)
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knightChivalry and service in arms
knightChivalry and service in arms
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
branchPeace, and new growth
