A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Burse family of Netherlands.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or à une bourse ou gibecière de gu., ornée d'or, les cordons du sec.”
The Burse arms were recorded in Guelders, c. 1815.
Guelders was river country in the east of the Netherlands, held by families whose estates sat along the water. Land there stayed in the same hands for generations, and long tenure is what fills a register of 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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Netherlands in this period.
Reigning in Netherlands when the Burse arms are first recorded.
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.
The surname Burse has deep roots tied to the historical region of Guelders, which is located in the eastern part of the modern-day Netherlands. During the early nineteenth century, families carrying this name were established members of the local community in this territory. The name likely evolved from regional dialects or occupational descriptions common to the Low Countries, where people were often identified by their trade or the specific landscape they inhabited. By 1815, the political landscape of Guelders underwent significant changes as it became part of the newly formed United Kingdom of the Netherlands. During this era of transition, families like the Burses were part of a society transitioning from the Napoleonic period into a new national identity. Their presence in official records from this time suggests they were settled, land-holding, or working families who contributed to the agricultural and social fabric of the Guelders province.
Latin term for a leather bag, purse, or pouch.
