A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Halen family of Belgium.
Reg. 1988 · Belgian, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. au lion d'or, arm., lamp. et cour. d'azur. C.: la tête du lion, entre un vol de sa. Cri: MIRABELLO!”
BrabantBrabant, c. 1737
Where the Halen Arms Were Recorded
Brabant
Map of Belgium showing where the Halen arms are recorded
The Halen arms were recorded in Brabant, c. 1737.
Brabant lay at the heart of the Low Countries, where the trade routes met. Its towns were wealthy and its landowners many, and both kinds of family kept arms, which is why the region is so heavily represented.
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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Belgium in this period.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Belgium when the Halen arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Belgium
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.
Granting authority
The Conseil héraldique is the official body that regulates and approves all coats of arms in Belgium.
How they got arms
Families obtain their coats of arms through formal royal grants or by confirming their historical right to use existing designs.
Where arms were recorded
All approved coats of arms are officially recorded in the public registers of the Conseil héraldique since 1844.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Brabant.
Origin & History of the Halen Family in Belgium
The family name Halen traces its roots to the historical region of Brabant, a territory that once spanned parts of modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands. By 1737, records confirm that members of the family were well-established within this area, living in a landscape defined by bustling market towns and productive agricultural lands. The name itself is likely topographic, meaning it was originally used to identify people who lived near a specific location known as a "halen," which often referred to a hollow or a low-lying area near water. Families in this region during the eighteenth century were frequently connected to the local guild systems or farming communities, which allowed them to maintain a stable presence in their villages for generations. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of Brabant, contributing to the local economy and the unique cultural identity of the Low Countries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hale
Derived from the Middle Dutch word for a nook or corner.
This name
HalenRefers to someone who lived in a secluded corner or a remote settlement.
also spelled
Halen
Hale
Halene
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Fruin, Robert, Geschiedenis der Staatsinstellingen in Nederland tot den val der Republiek, 1901
State Archives in Belgium (Rijksarchief in België), Parochieregisters van Brabant
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
