A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Brinks family of Netherlands.
Reg. 0453 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
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)
“De gu. à un arbre d'arg., soutenu d'une terrasse isolée du même.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Brinks Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Brinks arms are recorded
The Brinks 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 Brinks 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 Brinks 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 Brinks Family in Netherlands
The family name Brinks is rooted in the Low German and Dutch word brink, which refers to a grassy edge of a village or a small hill bordering a field. In the northern regions of the Netherlands, such as Friesland, families often adopted surnames based on the specific landscape features of their homesteads. By the early nineteenth century, the name was well established among the rural population of this province. During this period, the family members were likely involved in the agricultural life that defined the Frisian countryside. As the Dutch government began to standardize civil registration in the early 1800s, families officially recorded their names to comply with new administrative laws. This process solidified the use of Brinks as a hereditary surname, linking the family identity to the distinct geography of their ancestral home.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
brink
A grassy edge, border, or bank of a field or stream.
This name
BrinksA topographic name for someone who lived on the edge of a village or field.
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Meertens, P.J., De betekenis van de Nederlandse familienamen, 1957
Van der Schaar, J., Woordenboek van voornamen, 1964
Tresoar (Fries Historisch en Letterkundig Centrum), Burgerlijke Stand van Friesland, 1811-1950
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
