A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Giesen family of Netherlands.
Reg. 7898 · Dutch, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à une boule de gu.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Giesen Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Giesen arms are recorded
The Giesen 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 Giesen 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 Giesen 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 Giesen Family in Netherlands
The family name Giesen is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of the Low Countries, with clear records placing the family in the northern province of Friesland by 1815. The name itself is considered a patronymic, which means it originated as a way to identify someone as the son or descendant of a person named Gise or Gijs. These names were common short forms of longer Germanic names like Giselbert, which often carried meanings related to pledges or noble hostages. During the early nineteenth century, the registration of surnames became more standardized across the Netherlands due to civil administration reforms. Families like the Giesens in Friesland were part of a period where regional identities were shifting toward a unified national structure, yet they maintained the linguistic traditions of their ancestors. By tracing these early records, we see a family that was part of the steady agricultural and social development of the Frisian region during a time of significant political change in Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gise
A Germanic short form derived from the word for a pledge.
This name
GiesenA patronymic surname indicating descent from a person named Gise or Gisbert.
also spelled
Giesin
Giessen
Geezen
Geesen
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
Van der Schaar, J., Woordenboek van voornamen, 1964
Meertens Instituut, Nederlandse Familienamenbank (Dutch Surname Database), 2010
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
