A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Engelen family of Netherlands.
Reg. 9708 · Dutch, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 la croix pattée alésée d'arg., acc. de trois los. du même. Cq. d'or. C.: la croix.”
GueldersGuelders, c. 1815
Where the Engelen Arms Were Recorded
Guelders
Map of Netherlands showing where the Engelen arms are recorded
The Engelen arms were recorded in Guelders, c. 1815.
Guelders was river country in the east of the Netherlands, held by families whose estates sat along the water. Land there stayed in the same hands for generations, and long tenure is what fills a register 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.
Region
Guelders
First recorded
1815
Granting Authority for the Engelen 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 Engelen 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 Guelders.
Origin & History of the Engelen Family in Netherlands
The family name Engelen is a patronymic surname, which means it originated as a way to identify a person as the child of someone named Engel. The name Engel itself is a shortened version of Germanic names like Engelbert or Engelhard, which were popular throughout the Middle Ages. By the time of the Napoleonic era, the Engelen family had established a firm presence in the region of Guelders, a historical duchy located in the eastern part of the modern-day Netherlands. During this period, the family was deeply integrated into the local social and economic life of the area. As the region transitioned through political changes in 1815, families like the Engelen were part of a growing movement to formalize surnames in official government registers. This transition helped solidify the name as a permanent family identity that has been passed down through generations in the Guelders territory.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Angelus
Latin term derived from Greek meaning messenger or divine envoy.
This name
EngelenA patronymic surname indicating descent from someone named Angel or a nickname for a pious person.
also spelled
Engellenn
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Huizinga, J. J., Nederlandse familienamen: verklaring en geschiedenis, 1959
Meertens, P. J., De betekenis van de Nederlandse familienamen, 1951
Gelders Archief, Burgerlijke Stand Gelderland, 1815
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
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
