A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Foss family of Denmark.
Reg. 9612 · Danish, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
foxWit and wisdom in defence
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Parti d'arg. et d'azur; à un renard sautant de gu., br. sur le tout. C.: le renard, iss.”
Denmarkc. 1486
Where the Foss Arms Were Recorded
Sjaælland
Map of Denmark showing where the Foss arms are recorded
The Foss arms were recorded in Denmark, c. 1486.
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.
John, King of Denmark
Sovereign of the period
John, King of Denmark
1481–1513
Reigning in Denmark when the Foss arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Denmark
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.
Granting authority
The Danish royal chancery held the power to issue and regulate official coats of arms for the kingdom.
How they got arms
Families usually received their arms through a formal royal grant that confirmed their noble status and rights.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Danish Royal Chancery records starting in the sixteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Denmark.
Origin & History of the Foss Family in Denmark
The family name Foss has deep roots in the Scandinavian landscape, with early records placing members of the family in Sjælland as far back as 1486. The name itself is derived from the Old Norse word for a waterfall, which suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a prominent cascade or a river with a steep drop. In the medieval period, surnames were often adopted to describe a person’s physical surroundings or their place of residence. By settling in the fertile regions of Sjælland, the family became part of the local social fabric during a time of significant transition in Danish history. Over the following centuries, the name evolved alongside the language, eventually becoming a fixed identifier that linked generations of the family to their geographic origins.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
foss
Old Norse word meaning waterfall or ditch.
This name
FossA topographic name for someone who lived near a waterfall or a ditch.
also spelled
Fosse
Related arms
de Fosvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Kruse, Johnny, Danske efternavne, 2008
Nielsen, Oluf, Olddanske personnavne, 1883
Rigsarkivet (Danish National Archives), Diplomatarium Danicum
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foxWit and wisdom in defence
foxWit and wisdom in defence
