A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Boeckel family of Netherlands.
Reg. 0734 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à la fasce d'azur, acc. de trois têtes de lion de gu.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Boeckel Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Boeckel arms are recorded
The Boeckel 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 Boeckel 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 Boeckel 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 Boeckel Family in Netherlands
The family name Boeckel is deeply rooted in the linguistic traditions of the Low Countries and Northern Germany. Etymologically, the name is often associated with the Middle Low German word "bok," which refers to a beech tree or a buck, suggesting that early ancestors may have lived near a prominent forest or held a connection to land management. By 1815, records confirm that members of the Boeckel family were well-established in the province of Friesland. During this period, the region was undergoing significant administrative changes following the Napoleonic era, which led to the formalization of surnames in official civil registries. These early ancestors were likely part of the local agrarian or artisan classes who helped shape the social and economic landscape of the Frisian countryside during the nineteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bok
A male goat or buck.
This name
BoeckelRefers to a person who lived near a stream or brook, or someone associated with goats.
also spelled
Beckel
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
AlleFriezen, Burgerlijke Stand Geboorteakten (Civil Registry Birth Records)
Nationaal Archief, Bevolkingsregisters van Friesland (Population Registers of Friesland)
Debrabandere, Frans, Woordenboek van de familienamen in België en Noord-Frankrijk, 2003
Van der Schaar, J., Woordenboek van voornamen, 1964
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
