Hartwig Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Hartwig last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
Meaning and origin of the Hartwig last name
Meaning of the Hartwig last name: brave in battle. Hartwig comes from the Germanic personal name Hartwig, formed from hart, "hard, brave", and wīg, "battle, combat". It was popular in the Middle Ages, especially among the clergy and nobility of Saxony, and was borne by several archbishops of Bremen and Magdeburg. As a surname it is spread over northern and central Germany, especially Brandenburg, Saxony and Lower Saxony, and German emigrants took it to Wisconsin and Texas. Germanic names with hart, such as Hartmann and Gerhard, were among the most common medieval names. Variant forms include Hartwich, Hartweg and Hertwig. In Poland, where German settlers lived in Silesia and Pomerania, the form Hartwig is also found. The name is also found in Austria and Switzerland.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Hartwig name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Hartwig name in Germany. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Poland and Austria; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Hartwig family history
The researched Hartwig pack traces meaning, early bearers and migration routes, and includes a personalized Hartwig coat of arms.
Hartwig name FAQ
What does the Hartwig name mean?
Brave in battle. Common variants include Hartweg, Hartwich, Hardwig.
Where does the Hartwig surname come from?
It originates in Germany, and is also found in the United States, Poland and Austria.
Is there a Hartwig coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Hartwig crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Hartwig coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Duden Familiennamen; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).