A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bort family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 8110 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
wheelFortune's turning, and the carter's trade
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“D'azur au chev. d'or, acc. en chef de deux roues à quatre rayons d'arg. et en p. d'une ancre du même.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Bort Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Bort arms are recorded
The Bort 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 Bort 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 Bort 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 Bort Family in Netherlands
The surname Bort has deep roots in the northern regions of the Netherlands, particularly within the province of Friesland. By the early 19th century, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established members of the Frisian community. The name itself is thought to be linked to old Germanic roots, potentially serving as a shortened form of longer given names or describing a specific physical trait or occupation common in the rural landscape of the time. During the period around 1815, when the modern civil registration system was being standardized across the Netherlands, families like the Borts were transitioning from traditional naming customs to the fixed surnames we recognize today. This era was a time of significant social change, as the Napoleonic administration required all citizens to formally register their family names for tax and military purposes. Consequently, the presence of the Bort name in the 1815 records marks a pivotal moment where the family identity became permanently documented in the official history of the Dutch state.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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'arg. au lion d'azur, arm. et lamp. de gu. (Bort); au 2 d'arg. à la croix ancrée de gu.”
BerryLeyde · Berry, c. 1663
Where the Bort Arms Were Recorded
Berry
Map of France showing where the Bort arms are recorded
The Bort arms were recorded in Berry, c. 1663.
Berry was central French farming country, quiet and long-settled. Its estates were modest and stayed in the same hands for centuries, and steady landholding of that kind is exactly what puts a name into the heraldic records.
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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in France in this period.
Louis XIV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XIV of France
1643–1715
Reigning in Netherlands when the Bort arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Berry.
Origin & History of the Bort Family in France
The family name Bort traces its early French roots to the historic province of Berry, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1663. The name is likely topographic in origin, often associated with individuals who lived near or hailed from a place named Bort, such as the commune of Bort-les-Orgues in the Massif Central. During the seventeenth century, the Berry region was a center of agricultural life and feudal land management, and families like the Bort clan were often tied to the local land through farming or regional administration. As the family settled into this area, they became part of the social fabric of central France, living through a period marked by the consolidation of royal power under Louis XIV. While the name remained relatively localized during this era, it reflects the broader patterns of internal migration and family stability that defined rural French life before the modern age.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Borto
A Germanic or Old High German term meaning bright or shining.
This name
BortA topographic or habitational name referring to someone living near a specific landmark or settlement.
also spelled
Borte
Related arms
van Damrecorded with Bort, same area
van den Steenrecorded with Bort, same area
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
Netherlands National Archives (Nationaal Archief), Registers van de Burgerlijke Stand
Meertens Instituut, Nederlandse Familienamenbank
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
wheelFortune's turning, and the carter's trade
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
wheelFortune's turning, and the carter's trade
anchorHope, and steadfastness in trouble
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lionCourage, strength and royalty
