HENNING COATS-OF-ARMS

Nobles and knights started using Coat-of-Arms during the Middle Ages.  To identify himself during battle and military tournaments, a knight painted something on his shield. This became his personal identification. He also used this picture as his personal seal — almost like ones signature in modern times. A signature is only one persons identification and nobody else.

In time the oldest son started using his fathers shield (and the Coat-of-Arms on the shield). Even later this Coat-of-Arms were used as family Coats-of-Arms.

Family Coats of Arms originated in the second half of the twelfth Century in Europe. Mankind’s desire to portray his personality by means of a symbol, is, however, as old as mankind itself.

At present we are only aware of three Henning clans — one in South Africa and two in Germany using specific Coats-of-Arms. Over the ages several Henning / Hennings / Hennig Coats-of-Arms were used. In the authoritative publication “Armorial Général” by J B Rietstap, which have been illustrated by Roland, more than 112 000 family Coats-of-Arms are shown. Of these eleven (11) were identified as Henning / Hennings / Hennig Coats-of Arms. These Coats-of-Arms are shown below

Shortly after the Second World War a certain N H Theunissen published a series of articles in Brandwag, a magazine of that time, in which he described several family Coats-of-Arms used by Afrikaans families. It was not long before the unsuspecting South African population started accepting these coats-of-arms as authentic. Souvenirs like ashtrays, wall plates, plaques were produced and our people snatched them up.

As part of his research the author wanted to ascertain whether South African Hennings were entitled to use any specific coat-of-arms. He studied several authoritative publications on heraldry and had intensive discussions with influential people in heraldry, like the South African State Herald (mr Fred Braunell) and Dr C Pama a world renown genealogist and heraldist.

It soon became clear that only a small group of Henning and Hennig descendants of Georg Friedrich Henning, who arrived during 1765 from Silesia (today Poland) at the Cape of Good Hope, could possibly  claim the use of the coat-of-arms on offer. Georg Friedrich Henning and his descendants are discussed in Chapter 11 of the Family Cronicle.

This coat-of-arms belonged to a Henning family living during the middle-ages in Silesia. Georg Friedrich came from Silesia. Although there is no substantial proof that Georg Friedrich belonged to this family, this is a possibility, therefore, we do not have any objections against descendants of Georg Friedrich Henning using this coat-of-arms.

It seems as if Theunissen simply took Rietstap’s book, chose the Silesian Henning coat-of-arms, due to the fact that Georg Friedrich Henning came from Silesia and presented it as the coat-of-arms of  all the Hennings in South Africa — not knowing that Georg Friedrich Henning was only the progenitor of a small group of less than 200 Henning and Hennig’s in South Africa, out of a total of approximately 4 000 Hennings.

Absolutely no connection between any of the other coats-of-arms and any of the other clans could be found. The descendants of Peter Henrich Henning (more than 90% of all Hennings in South Africa) developed into a new clan, with its own traditions and habits, in a new country with a new nation — the Afrikaners, with a new language — Afrikaans. Over more than 200 years the Hennings participated in this development

ESTABLISHMENT OF A FAMILY LEAGUE AND REGISTRATION OF A LEAGUE COAT-OF-ARMS

On 21 July 1984 a group of approximately 30 Hennings gathered at the home of Brig Olivier Henning at Wierda Park, Verwoerdburg and established a family league.

The management committee elected immediately started with the design of a Coat-of-Arms for the Family League and the registration thereof at the State Herald. Government Notice no 575 in Government Gazette 9620 of 15 March 1985  announce the registration of the Coat-of-Arms and describe it as follows: Arms —Per pale Gules and Azure, at fes point a wagonwheel surmounted by a cross of sword-blades Argent, in dexter chief an Afrikander bull passant,in dexter base a castle and sinister, surmounting the arms of the cross, a lion rampant, Or;a chief Argent.

 

The symbolism of the Coat-of-Arms is described as follows:

1.                  The castle, taken from the Coat-of-Arms of the city, Lippstadt, Germany, symbolizes the origin of PETER HENRICH HENNING,

2.                  The front wheel of an oxwagon symbolizes the fact that the first three generations Hennings in South Africa were Trek farmers during the last few years of the 18 th Century and the first three decades of the 19 th Century, and settled in this untouched and unknown country,

3.                  The Afrikander ox symbolizes the fact that all Hennings, up to the beginning of the 20 th Century,were cattle farmers. Today, we still find a large percentage of farmers under the Hennings. Our love for nature, our territory and our country is portrayed by this,

4.                  The rampant lion symbolizes bravery and audacity. The Hennings were pioneers, who bought freedom expensive with sacrifises of sweat and blood, who made this country habitable. It also symbolizes that we enter the future with confidence,

5.                  The cross of sword blades symbolizes the fact that the Hennings made their contributions during all wars, where the freedom of our nation was endangered. It also symbolizes the Christianity of the family.

The chief Argent indicates that it is the Coat-of-Arms of a Family League.

Members of the Family League are entitled to design their own coat-of arms based on the Coat-of-Arms of the Family League, with their own symbolism placed in the chief Argent.

COATS-OF-ARMS USED BY SPECIFIC HENNING FAMILIES

	Peter Henrich Henning Family League The Coat-of-Arms of the Peter Henrich Hennig Family League of South Africa. This Coat-of-Arms was officially registered with the State Herald of South Africa — Government notice nr 575 in  Government Gazette nr 9620 dated 15 March 1985. The simbolism of the Coat-of-Arms is described above and in Chapter 1 of the Family Tree
	The Henning Families who lived at Demmin and Karnin, Germany The Henning families who used this Coat-of-Arms since the Middle Ages, originally lived at Demmin, near Stralsund and Greiffswalt in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Later they moved to Karnin (also near Stralsund) Until the 30-years War (1618 – 1648) these areas were under control of Denmark. This is the area where the name Henning originated during 1290. Compare this Coat-of-Arms with the Coat-of-Arms, Henning, Allem(agne) further on.
	The HENNING and VON HENNING descendants of Laurentius Henning of Rudolstadt.   Laurentius Henning (* Rudolstadt 28-3-1602) was the first son of Caspar Henning, who came to Rudolstadt (Germany) from Frankenhausen towards the end of the sixteenth Century.   During 1660 Laurentius was allowed to the aristocracy in Wienna and obtained the right to use the name "VON HENNING AUF SCHÖNHOFF" and this Coat-of-Arms. He and his descendants were members of the Prussian military aristocracy.   Compare this Coat-of-Arms with the coat-of-arms, Henning de Schönhoff, Prusse below.

 

OTHER HENNING / HENNINGS / HENNIG COATS-OF-ARMS TRACED

Henning / Hennings / Hennig Coats-of-Arms traced by Rietstap

	Henning. Silesie. Riga. Nórdlin The Henning family who used this Coat-of-Arms lived in the areas which is known today as Poland and Latvia
	Henning. Courlande The Henning family who used this Coat-of-Arms lived in the area which is known today as Latvia
	Henning de Schönhoff. Prusse   The Prusian family, descendants of Laurentius Henning * 1602, described above
	Henning de Wassem. P. de Cologne The family who used this Coat-of-Arms lived in the vicinity of Cologne, Germany
	Henning. Allem(agne) [Germany] This Coat-of-Arms correspond with the Coat-of-Arms used by the Henning family of Demmin/ Karnin (above)
	Hennings. Pom. Take note that this family used the name Hennings. Pom is probably the abreviation for Pommern (Germany)
	Hennings. Brunswick (Orig. de Dan) Another Hennings family. Originally from Denmark
	Hennig de Hennisky. Allem. This family lived in Germany. In al probability a variation of the Coat-of-Arms used by the Demmin / Karnin Henning family
Hennig. Bav. Two variations of the Coat-of-Arms used by a Hennig family of Bavaria, Germany
	Hennig. Prusse The Coat-of-Arms of a Hennig family of Prusse (today part of Germany)