A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fonteyne family of Netherlands.
Reg. 8422 · Dutch, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
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 à la fasce vivrée de sa. C.: un cygne iss. au nat., le vol levé.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Fonteyne Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Fonteyne arms are recorded
The Fonteyne 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 Fonteyne 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 Fonteyne 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 Fonteyne Family in Netherlands
The family name Fonteyne is rooted in the linguistic traditions of the Low Countries, where it evolved from the Middle Dutch word "fonteine," meaning a spring or a fountain. Historically, this name often functioned as a topographic surname, identifying individuals who lived near a natural water source or a prominent public well. By the early 19th century, records confirm that members of the Fonteyne family were established in the northern province of Friesland. During this period, the region underwent significant administrative changes, including the formalization of civil registration under Napoleonic influence. These records show the family integrating into the local Frisian society, where they contributed to the agricultural and trade-based economy that defined the northern Netherlands at the time. The name reflects a long history of connection to the landscape, marking the family as part of the deep-rooted demographic shifts that shaped the coastal regions of Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
fons
Latin word meaning a spring, fountain, or source of water.
This name
FonteyneA topographic name for someone who lived near a spring or fountain.
also spelled
Fonteyn
Fontein
Fonteynne
Fontin
Related arms
Fonteynvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
AlleFriezen, Burgerlijke Stand Friesland (Civil Registry of Friesland)
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
