A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Boshoff family of Netherlands.
Reg. 3395 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
pawStrength held ready, the beast's power in a single limb
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à une patte d'ours d'or, mouv. du flanc sen., tenant un arbre arr. de sin. C.: un arbre de sin., entre deux pattes d'ours d'or, en pals. L. d'or et d'azur [Comp. Buschoff.]”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Boshoff Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Boshoff arms are recorded
The Boshoff 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 Boshoff 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 Boshoff 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 Boshoff Family in Netherlands
The Boshoff family name has deep roots in the northern regions of the Netherlands, specifically within the province of Friesland. By the early nineteenth century, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this coastal area. The name itself is thought to be a variation of older Germanic naming traditions that combined terms for woods or forests with references to a farm or a homestead. This suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely people who lived near wooded areas or managed land in the rural Frisian landscape. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, eventually migrating from these northern territories to other parts of the world. Their history reflects the broader movement of Frisian families who transitioned from traditional agricultural life into the changing economic landscape of the nineteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bischof
A high-ranking ecclesiastical official or overseer in the Christian church.
This name
BoshoffAn occupational surname for someone who served in the household of a bishop.
also spelled
Boshof
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
AlleFriezen, Burgerlijke Stand Friesland, 1811-1950
Tresoar, Fries Historisch en Letterkundig Centrum, Bevolkingsregisters van Friesland
Van der Aa, A.J., Biographisch Woordenboek der Nederlanden, 1852-1878
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
pawStrength held ready, the beast's power in a single limb
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
pawStrength held ready, the beast's power in a single limb
