A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gerards family of Netherlands.
Reg. 9756 · Dutch, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à trois oranges au nat., tigées et feuillées de sin., les tiges en haut.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Gerards Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Gerards arms are recorded
The Gerards 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 Gerards 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 Gerards 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 Gerards Family in Netherlands
The surname Gerards is a patronymic name, which means it originated from the given name Gerard. In the Germanic languages, this name combines the elements for spear and brave or strong. By the early 19th century, the family was well-established in the northern Dutch province of Friesland. During this period, the Napoleonic administration required families to adopt fixed surnames for official civil registration. Because the name Gerards was already in use as a way to identify the descendants of a specific ancestor named Gerard, it became the permanent family name for these individuals. This transition helped formalize the family identity within the local Frisian community as they navigated the changing legal landscape of the Netherlands in 1815.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gerhard
Derived from Germanic elements meaning spear and brave or hardy.
This name
GerardsA patronymic surname meaning son of the brave spearman.
also spelled
Gerard
Gerardes
Gerardts
Related arms
Gerardvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Meertens, P.J., De betekenis van de Nederlandse familienamen, 1963
Tresoar (Frisian Historical and Literary Center), Burgerlijke Stand Friesland (Civil Registry of Friesland) 1811–1950
Van der Schaar, J., Woordenboek van voornamen, 1964
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
applePeace, plenty and long-standing settlement
applePeace, plenty and long-standing settlement
