A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gertz family of Netherlands.
Reg. 1085 · Dutch, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lambGentleness, patience and faith
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti: au 1 d'azur à trois écussons d'arg.; au 2 coupé: a. de sin. à trois fleurs-de-lis de sa.; b. de sin. à un mouton pass. d'arg., cour. d'or. C.: un écran ovale d'azur, entouré d'une couronne de feuillage de sin. et ch. d'un écusson d'arg.”
NetherlandsHarderwick Gueldre, c. 1815
Where the Gertz Arms Were Recorded
Harderwick
Map of Netherlands showing where the Gertz arms are recorded
The Gertz arms were recorded in Harderwick Gueldre, c. 1815.
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
Harderwick
Town
Harderwick Gueldre
First recorded
1815
Granting Authority for the Gertz 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 Gertz 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 Gertz Family in Netherlands
The family name Gertz has deep roots in the region of the Netherlands, particularly within the historic town of Harderwijk. By the year 1815, records confirm that members of the Gertz family were well-established residents of this coastal city. Harderwijk was a prominent member of the Hanseatic League, which was a powerful network of merchant guilds and market towns that dominated trade across Northern Europe for centuries. Because the family lived in such a significant hub of commerce and maritime activity, it is likely that early ancestors were involved in the bustling trade or fishing industries that defined the local economy at the time. The name itself is thought to be a patronymic variation, meaning it likely originated as a shortened form of a longer Germanic given name like Gerhard. Over generations, this name became a fixed family identifier as the family integrated into the social and civic life of the Gelderland province.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gerhard
Derived from the Germanic elements for spear and brave or hardy.
This name
GertzA patronymic form indicating a descendant of someone named Gerhard.
also spelled
Goerts
Gortz
Gurtz
Gertz
Gerts
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Gelders Archief, Burgerlijke Stand Harderwijk, 1815
lambGentleness, patience and faith
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
lambGentleness, patience and faith
escutcheonA shield within a shield, and a claim inherited
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
