A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Eckman family of Netherlands.
Reg. 1708 · Dutch, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
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 pals de gu.; au”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Eckman Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Eckman arms are recorded
The Eckman 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 Eckman 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 Eckman 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 Eckman Family in Netherlands
The name Eckman is rooted in the Germanic linguistic tradition, likely derived from a combination of the Old High German word for a corner or edge and a common suffix denoting a person. By the early 19th century, the family was well-established in the northern region of Friesland. During this period, the area was undergoing significant social and political changes following the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Families like the Eckmans often lived in rural communities where they were deeply connected to the local agricultural economy and the unique maritime culture of the Dutch coast. Because Friesland maintained a distinct legal and cultural identity, the records from 1815 reflect a society that valued precise record-keeping, which helped preserve the family name as it transitioned through the industrial and modern eras.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ecke
A Germanic word meaning edge, corner, or sword point.
This name
EckmanRefers to a person who lived near a corner, edge of a field, or a sharp bend.
also spelled
Eckman
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tresoar (Fries Historisch en Letterkundig Centrum), Burgerlijke Stand (Civil Registry), 1815
Draye, L., "Vlaamse en Nederlandse familienamen," 1997
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
