A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Broersma family of Netherlands.
Reg. 6963 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Parti: au 1 d'or à la demi-aigle de sa., mouv. du parti; au 2 de gu. à deux roses d'arg., l'une sur l'autre.”
FrieslandFriesland, c. 1815
Where the Broersma Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Broersma arms are recorded
The Broersma 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 Broersma 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 Broersma 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 Broersma Family in Netherlands
The surname Broersma originates from the northern province of Friesland in the Netherlands. In the Frisian naming tradition, the suffix "ma" typically denotes a person who belongs to a specific family or household, often derived from the name of a patriarch. In this case, the name likely stems from the given name Broer, which was a common Frisian name meaning brother. By the time of the 1811 Napoleonic decree that required all Dutch citizens to register a permanent family name, the Broersma family was already well-established in the region. Records from 1815 confirm that members of the family were living and working in Frisian communities, where they were deeply integrated into the local agricultural and social life of the province. The name serves as a linguistic marker of their deep roots in the Frisian landscape and their long-standing connection to the ancestral naming customs of the area.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Broer
A Germanic term meaning brother or a term of endearment.
This name
BroersmaA patronymic surname indicating a descendant or son of a man named Broer.
also spelled
Broersmaa
Broersmma
Broorsma
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
Hacker, J., Friese familienamen, 1989
Van der Meer, G., De Friese naamgeving: Een historisch overzicht, 1995
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
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
roseThe seventh son, and beauty with grace
