A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dal family of Denmark.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De sa., chapé d'arg. C.: deux prob. d'arg.”
The Dal arms were recorded in Denmark, c. 1722.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Sjaælland.
Zealand held the Danish court, the crown's offices and Copenhagen itself. Families who served the king kept estates within reach of it, and royal service was the ordinary route to a coat 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 Denmark in this period.
Reigning in Denmark when the Dal arms are first recorded.
Danish heraldry during this period was closely tied to noble status and royal favor rather than being open to all citizens. Arms were typically granted by the monarch to individuals, and these symbols were then shared by all members of the noble house. If a family line died out, the right to use those specific arms ended with them.
The family name Dal carries a history deeply rooted in the rural landscapes of Sjælland, Denmark. By the year 1722, records confirm that members of the family were already established in this region, living as part of the local agrarian society. The name itself is a topographical surname, which means it was likely chosen to describe the physical environment where the family resided. In the Danish language, the word "dal" translates to "valley," suggesting that the earliest ancestors bearing this name lived in or near a low-lying area between hills. During the early 18th century, families in rural Sjælland often identified themselves by their connection to the land, and this name served as a simple way to distinguish their household within the community. Over generations, this descriptive label transitioned from a casual reference to a formal family name, preserving a link to the geography of their ancestral home.
Old Norse word referring to a valley or a dale.
