A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bonga family of Netherlands.
Reg. 9883 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
boars headA fierce fighter who battles to the end
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 d'or à la demi-aigle de sa., mouv. du parti; au 2 coupé: a. d'azur à une hure et col de sanglier d'arg.; b. d'or à trois trèfles de sin. C.: une licorne iss. d'arg.”
FrieslandFriesland, c. 1815
Where the Bonga Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Bonga arms are recorded
The Bonga arms were recorded in Friesland, c. 1815.
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 Bonga 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 Bonga 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 Friesland.
Origin & History of the Bonga Family in Netherlands
The Bonga family name has deep roots in the northern province of Friesland, where records confirm their presence by the early nineteenth century. In the Frisian language, names ending in the suffix "a" often indicate a connection to a specific farmstead or a family estate, suggesting that the earliest ancestors were likely landowners or prominent figures in their local rural community. During the year 1815, the Netherlands underwent significant changes in how citizens registered their surnames due to new government requirements for civil records. This period marked a transition where family names became officially fixed in legal documents, helping to preserve the identity of the Bonga lineage as they navigated the social and economic shifts of the post-Napoleonic era. By studying these early civil registers, historians can trace how the family integrated into the Frisian landscape, maintaining their presence in the region through generations of agricultural and community life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bono
Derived from the Germanic element meaning good or noble.
This name
BongaA Frisian patronymic surname indicating a descendant of someone named Bono or Bonifatius.
also spelled
Bong
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
Ypema, Y., Friese familienamen: een overzicht van hun oorsprong en verspreiding, 1985
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
boars headA fierce fighter who battles to the end
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
boars headA fierce fighter who battles to the end
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
