A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Coolen family of Netherlands.
Reg. 8766 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à trois chev. de gu.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Coolen Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Coolen arms are recorded
The Coolen 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 Coolen 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 Coolen 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 Coolen Family in Netherlands
The family name Coolen is a patronymic surname, which means it originated as a way to identify a person by their father’s given name. In this case, the name is derived from a shortened or affectionate form of the name Nicolaas, such as Cool or Coel. By the early 19th century, the family was well-established in the northern Dutch province of Friesland. During this period, the Napoleonic administration required citizens to formally register their surnames in civil records. This transition helped stabilize the spelling of the name as it moved from spoken tradition into official government documentation. Because Friesland was a region defined by its distinct language and maritime culture, families like the Coolens often integrated into local agricultural or trade communities. These early ancestors were part of a society that was rapidly changing as the Netherlands moved toward becoming a unified modern state.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Nicolaus
Derived from Greek words meaning victory of the people.
This name
CoolenA patronymic surname meaning son of Nicolaus or son of Nicholas.
also spelled
Coolin
Koolen
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Meertens, P.J., Voornamen in Nederland, 1966
Van der Schaar, J., Woordenboek van voornamen, 1964
Tresoar (Fries Historisch en Letterkundig Centrum), Burgerlijke Stand van Friesland (Civil Registration of Friesland), 1811–1950
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