Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or à la bande de gu. ch. de trois merlettes d'arg.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Glase family lines. Documented in 3 countries.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or à la bande de gu. ch. de trois merlettes d'arg.”
The Glase arms were recorded in Tournaisis, c. 1737.
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.
In Belgium, a coat of arms is considered personal property that is passed down through the male line to legitimate descendants. Families often use the same shield design across generations to show their shared heritage. If a branch of the family wants to change the design, they must apply for an official update to their specific version of the arms.
The history of the Glase family in Belgium is deeply rooted in the region of Tournaisis, where records confirm their presence as early as 1737. During this period, the area was a center for agricultural and artisanal life, and families like the Glases were often integrated into the local parish systems that governed daily existence. The name itself likely evolved from regional dialects, reflecting the linguistic blend of French and Dutch influences common in the borderlands of the Southern Netherlands. As members of the community in Tournaisis, the family would have navigated the social and economic shifts of the eighteenth century, including the transition of power between European empires. By maintaining a documented presence in these local records, the Glase family serves as a window into the lives of ordinary citizens who helped shape the cultural landscape of the province of Hainaut.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Ar. a fleur-de-lis betw. three mullets within a bordure gu”
The Glase arms were recorded in Sauchie, c. 1748.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh was the seat of Scotland's government, its courts and its heralds. Families with business there settled nearby, and being close to where arms were recorded is exactly why so many of them appear.
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.
Scottish heraldry is unique because it treats a coat of arms as a piece of personal property protected by law. Only one person can own a specific design at any given time. When a family grows, the head keeps the original shield while other relatives must apply for their own distinct version with slight changes to prove their specific identity.
The surname Glase has deep roots in the urban landscape of eighteenth-century Scotland, particularly within the bustling streets of Edinburgh. By 1748, records confirm that members of the Glase family were already established residents in the city, participating in the daily life of a capital undergoing significant social and economic change. The name itself is often linked to the Old English word for glass, suggesting that early ancestors may have been skilled artisans or traders involved in the glassmaking industry that began to flourish in Scotland during the Enlightenment. As the city expanded beyond its medieval walls, families like the Glases contributed to the growing merchant class, helping to shape the professional and civic identity of Edinburgh. Their presence in the city archives during this period highlights a transition from traditional rural life toward the specialized trades and urban development that defined the Scottish experience in the mid-1700s.
A Middle Dutch term referring to the material glass.

