A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hargens family of Netherlands.
Reg. 3176 · Dutch, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'arg. à trois annelets de sa.; aux 2 et 3 d'arg. à deux fasces brét. et c.-brét. de gu., et au canton d'azur, ch. d'un oiseau d'or. C.: un annelet de sa., entre un vol d'arg.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
Where the Hargens Arms Were Recorded
Friesland
Map of Netherlands showing where the Hargens arms are recorded
The Hargens 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 Hargens 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 Hargens 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 Hargens Family in Netherlands
The surname Hargens finds its historical roots in the northern region of the Netherlands known as Friesland. By the early nineteenth century, families carrying this name were well-established within the local Frisian communities. The name itself follows a common naming pattern from that area, as it is a patronymic derivative. This means that the name originally identified a person as the son of someone named Harge. During the year 1811, Napoleon Bonaparte ordered all citizens in the Netherlands to adopt permanent family surnames for official government records. Because of this mandate, many families in Friesland formally registered their names in the civil registries by 1815. These early ancestors were likely farmers or tradespeople who lived in the rural landscape of the Frisian countryside, where they maintained their traditions and language for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hard
A Germanic term meaning brave, hardy, or strong.
This name
HargensA patronymic surname indicating son of the brave or strong one.
also spelled
Hargene
Hargens
Hargenn
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 (1811–1950)
Meertens Instituut, Nederlandse Familienamenbank
Huizinga, Frans, Nederlandse achternamen, 1993
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
