A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Franssen family of Belgium.
Reg. 3697 · Belgian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
millrind / fer de molineThe mill's iron, and the grinding of grain
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de gu. à la fasce ondée d'arg.; aux 2 et 3 d'or à une meule de moulin de gu.”
BrabantBrabant, c. 1737
Where the Franssen Arms Were Recorded
Brabant
Map of Belgium showing where the Franssen arms are recorded
The Franssen arms were recorded in Brabant, c. 1737.
Brabant lay at the heart of the Low Countries, where the trade routes met. Its towns were wealthy and its landowners many, and both kinds of family kept arms, which is why the region is so heavily represented.
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 Belgium in this period.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Belgium when the Franssen arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Belgium
In Belgium, a coat of arms is considered personal property that is passed down through the male line to legitimate descendants. Families often use the same shield design across generations to show their shared heritage. If a branch of the family wants to change the design, they must apply for an official update to their specific version of the arms.
Granting authority
The Conseil héraldique is the official body that regulates and approves all coats of arms in Belgium.
How they got arms
Families obtain their coats of arms through formal royal grants or by confirming their historical right to use existing designs.
Where arms were recorded
All approved coats of arms are officially recorded in the public registers of the Conseil héraldique since 1844.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Brabant.
Origin & History of the Franssen Family in Belgium
The family name Franssen is a patronymic surname, which means it was originally created to identify a person as the son of someone named Frans. This name is a Dutch variant of the name Franciscus, which gained widespread popularity across Europe due to the influence of Saint Francis of Assisi. By 1737, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Brabant region. During this period, Brabant was a center of agricultural and trade activity, and families like the Franssens were often deeply integrated into the local village life. Because the name was based on a common first name rather than a specific location or trade, it appeared independently in many different towns. This led to several distinct branches of the family developing across the Low Countries, each with their own unique history rooted in the social and economic shifts of the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Franciscus
Latin name meaning a Frenchman or a free man.
This name
FranssenPatronymic surname meaning son of Francis, referring to one of French origin or free status.
also spelled
Franssen
Franssenz
Fransenz
Fransen
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Meertens, P.J., Voornamenboek, 1993
Leibniz, G.W., Etymologicum, 1717
Rijksarchief in Noord-Brabant, Doop-, trouw- en begraafregisters (DTB), 1737
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
millrind / fer de molineThe mill's iron, and the grinding of grain
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
millrind / fer de molineThe mill's iron, and the grinding of grain
