Schleswig-Holstein Social Life and Customs

Hausmarken
Hausmarken are personal brands consisting of single strokes (see http://wiki-de.genealogy.net/Hausmarken_Probstei). They appeared at the end of the 13th century, set in stone above an entry way, in a window, on a head stone or they were used as boundary markers. With time Hausmarken appeared everywhere as proof of ownership. Some examples are Hausmarken on agricultural equipment, fishing nets, boats, farms, animals, church windows, baptismal fonts, notary protocols etc. A Hausmarke was used as a legal transaction symbol for a given owner and his property. Hausmarken were transferred to heirs, consecutive sons used the same Hausmarke slightly modified, signifying affiliation to the family. How a Hausmarke was used, differed from locality to locality. There could be the use of the Hausmarke which evidenced affiliation of a house, a clan. Then there was the use of a “Hofmarke”, suggesting connection with property but not with people.

A Hausmarke is not a crest. The Hausmarke evolved before and parallel to the family crest. The Hausmarke became a symbol, the sign of a clan which was often incorporated as a motif into the family crest. (see http://www.heraldik-und-kunst.de/forum/1/hausmarken-in-der-heraldik/)

A collection of Hausmarken is not available. To identify Hausmarken used by our ancestors, one has to peruse secondary literature, especially papers published through regional historical societies or conduct on-site research.

Sources:

http://www.dr-bernhard-peter.de/Heraldik/seite38.htm

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hausmarke

Familienkundliche Blätter. Hausmarken im Trierer Land. Jg. 1-1970 Seite 25-31.