A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Donia family of Netherlands.
Reg. 1082 · Dutch, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“D'or au lion de sa. C.: cinq branches de chêne feuillées de sin., englantées d'or.”
FrieslandFriesland, c. 1815
Where the Donia Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Donia arms are recorded
The Donia arms were recorded in Friesland, c. 1815.
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 Donia 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 Donia 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 Friesland.
Origin & History of the Donia Family in Netherlands
The surname Donia has deep roots in the northern Dutch province of Friesland, where the family was well-established by the early nineteenth century. The name is traditionally linked to the Frisian language and follows the regional naming customs that were common in the northern Netherlands. During the Napoleonic era, the government required families to register permanent surnames to improve record-keeping for taxes and military service. While many families in the region adopted new names at this time, the Donia name was already in use as a way to identify members of a specific local lineage. The family likely lived in rural farming communities where they maintained strong ties to the land and local Frisian culture. By 1815, the name was officially recorded in civil registries, marking a transition from traditional naming patterns to the modern system of family identification that persists today.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Donatus
Latin for given or gifted by God.
This name
DoniaA Frisian patronymic surname indicating descent from a person named Donia or Donatus.
also spelled
Donya
Donie
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tresoar (Frisian Historical and Literary Center), Burgerlijke Stand van Friesland (Civil Registry of Friesland), 1811–1950
Ypema, Y., Friese familienamen: een onderzoek naar de herkomst en verspreiding, 1985
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
