A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Claessen family of Netherlands.
Reg. 9619 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
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 deux pipes à fumer (longues pipes en terre) au nat., passées en saut., les fourneaux en haut et adossés, acc. de trois étoiles d'or, 1 en chef et 2 en flancs, et d'un oiseau démembré d'or, l'aile levée, en p.”
NetherlandsLeerdam Holl, c. 1815
Where the Claessen Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Claessen arms are recorded
The Claessen arms were recorded in Leerdam Holl, 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
Town
Leerdam Holl
First recorded
1815
Granting Authority for the Claessen 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 Claessen 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 Claessen Family in Netherlands
The surname Claessen is a patronymic name, which means it was originally created to identify a person as the son of someone named Claes. Claes is a traditional Dutch and Frisian short form of the name Nicolaas. During the early nineteenth century, families in the Netherlands began to adopt fixed surnames to comply with new government registration laws. In Friesland, where the Claessen family was documented in 1815, naming traditions often relied on these patronymic links to distinguish between different households in the same village. Because Friesland maintained a distinct cultural and linguistic identity, the name evolved alongside the local dialect. By the time of the 1815 records, the family had established deep roots in the region, reflecting a long history of agricultural and maritime life common to the Frisian people during that era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Nicolaus
Derived from Greek meaning victory of the people.
This name
ClaessenA patronymic surname meaning son of Nicholas.
also spelled
Claessens
Claessene
Klasen
Related arms
Cleynrecorded with Claessen, same area
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Meertens, P.J., De betekenis van de Nederlandse familienamen, 1964
Van der Schaar, J., Woordenboek van voornamen, 1964
AlleFriezen, Burgerlijke Stand Friesland (Civil Registry of Friesland)
Nationaal Archief, Registers van de Burgerlijke Stand (Civil Registration Records)
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
hunting horn stringedOne who delights in the chase
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
