A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gade family of Netherlands.
Reg. 5558 · Dutch, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
horseReadiness to serve king and country
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Coupé: au 1 de gu. à un cheval galopant d'arg.; au 2 d'azur à deux bagues accostées, entrelacées et adossées d'or, châtonnées chacune d'un rubis. C.: une tête et col de cheval d'arg.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Gade Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Gade arms are recorded
The Gade 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 Gade 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 Gade 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 Gade Family in Netherlands
The surname Gade has deep roots in the coastal regions of Northern Europe, particularly within the historic territory of Friesland. By the early nineteenth century, families carrying this name were well-established in the Frisian landscape, a region defined by its unique language and strong maritime traditions. The name itself is thought to derive from Old Germanic or Low German linguistic roots, often associated with the word for a street or a path. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to bear the name may have been identified by their proximity to a specific road or a central village thoroughfare. As the family grew during the 1800s, they became part of the resilient local population that navigated the challenges of living in a region frequently shaped by the North Sea. Their presence in 1815 places them in a time of great political transition for the Netherlands, marking a period when family records became more standardized and formal.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gade
Derived from the Middle Dutch word for a goad or spear.
This name
GadeAn occupational name for a person who used a goad to drive livestock.
also spelled
Gaad
Gaadee
Gaades
Gade
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tresoar (Frisian Historical and Literary Center), Burgerlijke Stand (Civil Registry) of Friesland, 1811–1950
Van der Meer, G., Friese familienamen: Herkomst en verspreiding, 1998
Nederlands Genootschap voor Geslachtskunde, Nederlandse Familienamenbank, 2010
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
horseReadiness to serve king and country
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
horseReadiness to serve king and country
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
