A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gantman family of Netherlands.
Reg. 3004 · Dutch, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
duckResourcefulness on land and water
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 trois canettes démembrées d'arg.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Gantman Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Gantman arms are recorded
The Gantman 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 Gantman 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 Gantman 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 Gantman Family in Netherlands
The surname Gantman is rooted in the historical landscape of the northern Netherlands, specifically within the province of Friesland during the early nineteenth century. The name likely originated as an occupational or descriptive descriptor, as the suffix "man" was commonly attached to words denoting a person’s trade or place of origin in Germanic and Dutch naming traditions. By 1815, the family was firmly established in the region, a period defined by the transition of the Netherlands into a unified kingdom under the House of Orange. During this time, the Napoleonic Code had recently mandated that all citizens adopt fixed surnames for official civil registration. This legal shift forced many families to formalize their identities in government records, turning previously fluid nicknames or patronymics into permanent family names. The presence of the Gantman family in Frisian records during this era suggests they were part of the local community that adapted to these new administrative requirements while maintaining their distinct identity in a region known for its unique cultural and linguistic heritage.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gant
A Middle High German term referring to a glove or gauntlet.
This name
GantmanAn occupational surname for a maker or seller of gloves.
also spelled
Gentmann
Genteman
Gantman
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tresoar (Frisian Historical and Literary Center), Burgerlijke Stand Friesland (Civil Registry of Friesland), 1811–1950
Meertens Instituut, Nederlandse Familienamenbank (Dutch Surname Database)
Van der Meer, G., Friese familienamen: een overzicht (Frisian Surnames: An Overview), 1998
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
duckResourcefulness on land and water
duckResourcefulness on land and water
