A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bertels family of Netherlands.
Reg. 3704 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or au lion de sa.; au chef d'arg.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Bertels Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Bertels arms are recorded
The Bertels arms were recorded in Netherlands, c. 1815.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Friesland.
Friesland was low, wet country on the northern coast of the Netherlands, farmed by families who had held the same land for centuries. Free landholders were unusually common there, and a free landholder could carry 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
Friesland
First recorded
1815
Granting Authority for the Bertels Arms
Hoge Raad van Adel
Photograph made by me · CC BY-SA 3.0
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 Bertels 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 Netherlands.
Origin & History of the Bertels Family in Netherlands
The surname Bertels is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the son of someone named Bertel. This name is a shortened version of the Germanic name Berthold, which combines the words for bright and ruler. By the early 19th century, families carrying this name were well-established in the northern Dutch province of Friesland. During this period, the region was undergoing significant social changes as it transitioned from the Napoleonic era into the newly formed Kingdom of the Netherlands. Families like the Bertels were often involved in the agricultural and maritime trades that defined the Frisian economy. Because Friesland maintained a distinct cultural and linguistic identity, the name was preserved through generations of local record-keeping in parish registers and civil registries. These early ancestors were part of a resilient community that navigated the shifting political borders of Europe while maintaining their family traditions in the northern coastal landscape.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Berht
A Germanic element meaning bright, famous, or illustrious.
This name
BertelsA patronymic form derived from a diminutive of names containing the element bright.
also spelled
Bertelsz
Bertelz
Bertelss
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tresoar (Fries Historisch en Letterkundig Centrum), Burgerlijke Stand van Friesland (Civil Registry of Friesland), 1811–1950
Van der Schaar, J., Woordenboek van voornamen, 1988
Nederlandse Familienamenbank (Meertens Instituut), Database of Dutch Surnames
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
lionCourage, strength and royalty
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
lionCourage, strength and royalty
