A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bootsma family of Netherlands.
Reg. 1250 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
feathersWilling obedience and serenity
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé: au 1 d'or à un panache de trois pl. d'aut. de gu., mouv. du coupé; au 2 d'azur à trois étoiles mal-ordonnées d'or, surm. d'un croiss. versé d'arg. C.: le panache du 1.”
FrieslandFriesland, c. 1815
Where the Bootsma Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Bootsma arms are recorded
The Bootsma 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 Bootsma 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 Bootsma 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 Bootsma Family in Netherlands
The surname Bootsma originated in the northern province of Friesland in the Netherlands. This region has a unique tradition where many family names end in the suffix -ma, which often indicates a connection to a specific farm or a family lineage. The name likely began as a way to identify someone who lived on or managed a farmstead associated with a person named Boot. By the time of the national registration of surnames in 1811 and 1812, the family was well-established in the Frisian countryside. These early family members were typically part of the rural community, working as farmers or laborers in the flat, coastal landscape. Because Friesland maintained its own distinct culture and language, the name reflects the local naming customs that were common long before the family appeared in official government records in 1815.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bode
A messenger or herald in medieval Germanic languages.
This name
BootsmaA patronymic surname indicating the son of a messenger or herald.
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
Meertens Instituut, Nederlandse Familienamenbank
Huizinga, Frans, Stamt het Friese volk uit de klei?, 1995
Van Berkel, Gerald and Samplonius, Kees, Nederlandse plaatsnamen verklaard, 2018
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
feathersWilling obedience and serenity
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
feathersWilling obedience and serenity
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
