A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Alvarez family of Netherlands.
Reg. 0548 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
What the shield shows
The whole shield is checkered blue and silver, five rows of three squares. Above it sits a crowned helmet, and on that an angel rises wearing a gold crown, its wings checkered silver and blue, holding a gold cross.
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Echiq. d'azur et d'arg., de cinq tires, chacune de trois points. Cq. cour. C.: un ange iss., cour. d'or, les ailes échiq d'arg. et d'azur, tenant une croix latine d'or.”
ZeelandZeeland, c. 1815
Where the Alvarez Arms Were Recorded
Zeeland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Alvarez arms are recorded
The Alvarez arms were recorded in Zeeland, c. 1815.
Zeeland was a scatter of islands in the south-west of the Netherlands, living on the sea and on land reclaimed from it. Families who drained and held that land were counted among the gentry, and gentry carried arms.
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.
Region
Zeeland
First recorded
1815
Granting Authority for the Alvarez Arms
Hoge Raad van Adel
Photograph made by me · CC BY-SA 3.0
Authority
Hoge Raad van Adel
1814-present
The body that granted and recorded arms in Netherlands in this period.
William I of the Netherlands
Sovereign of the period
William I of the Netherlands
1815–1840
Reigning in Netherlands when the Alvarez arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Netherlands
In the Netherlands, coats of arms were often used by noble families and those who held specific public offices. These arms were passed down through the generations to legitimate descendants. Younger branches of a family usually kept the original design without needing to add special marks. This system ensured that the family identity remained clear and consistent over many years.
Granting authority
The Hoge Raad van Adel is the official body that regulates and manages noble titles and coats of arms in the Netherlands.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through official royal grants or by proving their long-standing historical use of the symbols.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms are officially recorded in the registers held by the Hoge Raad van Adel, which began its work in 1814.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Zeeland.
Origin & History of the Alvarez Family in Netherlands
The surname Alvarez is a patronymic name, which means it was originally created to identify a person as the son of someone named Alvaro. The name Alvaro itself has deep roots in the Iberian Peninsula, likely originating from Germanic tribes that settled in the region centuries ago. It typically translates to mean "all-guard" or "elf-warrior." Over many generations, the name spread across Spain and Portugal as families grew and moved throughout the territory.
By the early 19th century, the name had traveled far beyond its Mediterranean origins. Records from 1815 confirm that members of the Alvarez family were living in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. During this period, the Napoleonic Wars had caused significant movement of people and soldiers across Europe. It is likely that these early family members arrived in the region due to the shifting political borders or military service common during that era. Once settled, they became part of the local community, blending their ancestral name into the history of the Dutch lowlands.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ala
Warja
-ez
All, guard, son of.
This name
AlvarezSon of the all-guarding warrior.
also spelled
Alvares
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Debrabandere, Frans. Woordenboek van de familienamen in België en Noord-Frankrijk. 1993
Moll, Friedrich. Die deutschen Familiennamen. 1982
Zeeuws Archief, Burgerlijke Stand Zeeland (Civil Registry of Zeeland), 1811–1950
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chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
cross symbolChristian faith and service
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
cross symbolChristian faith and service
