A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Greengrass family of Netherlands.
Reg. 7868 · Dutch, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur au chev. d'arg., acc. en chef de deux étoiles d'or et en p. d'une meule de foin du sec.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Greengrass Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Greengrass arms are recorded
The Greengrass 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 Greengrass 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 Greengrass 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 Greengrass Family in Netherlands
The family name Greengrass likely originated as a descriptive nickname for a person who lived near a lush, grassy meadow or worked as a farmer tending to green pastures. While the name appears in various forms across Northern Europe, historical records confirm that members of the family were established in the region of Friesland by 1815. During this period, the area was undergoing significant political shifts following the Napoleonic Wars, and families often relied on agriculture or trade to sustain their livelihoods in the fertile coastal landscape. As the family moved and settled in different communities, the name served as a link to their rural roots and their connection to the land. Over time, the spelling became standardized as the family integrated into the local society of the Netherlands and beyond.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Groengras
Dutch compound words for green and grass.
This name
GreengrassA topographic name for someone who lived near a lush, verdant meadow.
also spelled
Greengras
Grongras
Greengrass
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tresoar (Fries Historisch en Letterkundig Centrum), Burgerlijke Stand van Friesland
Huizinga, A., Encyclopedie van namen, 1955
Meertens Instituut, Nederlandse Familienamenbank, 2010
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
