A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cornelissen family of Netherlands.
Reg. 5218 · Dutch, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 4 cont. de sa., le pied recroisetté.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Cornelissen Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Cornelissen arms are recorded
The Cornelissen 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 Cornelissen 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 Cornelissen 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 Cornelissen Family in Netherlands
The surname Cornelissen is a patronymic name, which means it was originally created to identify a person as the son of someone named Cornelis. This naming tradition was common throughout the Netherlands, where people often used their father’s first name as their last name. By the early 19th century, these names became fixed as permanent family surnames. Records confirm that members of the Cornelissen family were established in the province of Friesland by 1815. During this time, the Dutch government required families to officially register their surnames to help with taxation and military conscription. Because Friesland has a unique cultural and linguistic history compared to the rest of the Netherlands, families living there often maintained distinct regional traditions while participating in the broader national system of record-keeping.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cornelius
Derived from the Latin word for horn or cornel cherry tree.
This name
CornelissenA patronymic surname meaning son of Cornelius, a common name in the Netherlands.
also spelled
Cornelisen
Related arms
Cornelis (de) dit Lernoutvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Meertens Instituut, Nederlandse Familienamenbank, 2024
Tresoar (Fries Historisch en Letterkundig Centrum), Burgerlijke Stand van Friesland, 1811–1950
Van Driel, L., Nederlandse achternamen: een geschiedenis, 2005
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
cross symbolChristian faith and service
