A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Wittekind family of Germany.
Reg. 7389 · German, W–Z
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'azur à un senestrochère, arm. d'arg., la main de carn. tenant une épée d'arg. en barre; au 2 parti: a. d'arg. à deux fasces d'or; b. de gu. à trois étoiles d'or. L'écu bordé d'or. Cq. cour. C.: le senestrochère, posé sur le coude, entre un vol de sa. L.: à dextre d'arg. et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et de gu.”
Germanyc. 1786
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
Map of Germany showing where the Wittekind arms are recorded
The Wittekind arms were recorded in Germany, c. 1786.
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.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Germany when the Wittekind 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 Wittekind Family in Germany
The name Wittekind is deeply rooted in Germanic history and carries a meaning that translates to "child of the woods" or "forest child." While the name is famously associated with a legendary Saxon leader from the eighth century, the family line that settled in Bavaria by 1786 likely emerged from the common practice of adopting descriptive nicknames or ancestral titles. During the late 18th century, families in the Bavarian region often moved toward fixed surnames as local governments began keeping more formal birth and tax records. The Wittekind family members who lived in Bavaria during this time were part of a period of significant social change, as the region transitioned through the final years of the Holy Roman Empire. By this era, the name had evolved from an ancient heroic title into a stable family identifier used to track lineage and property within local village communities.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Widukind
Derived from the Germanic words for wood and child or kin.
This name
WittekindRefers to a child of the forest or a descendant of the woods.
also spelled
Widekindt
Widekinde
Widekindh
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
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
