A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hirshman family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 6669 · Dutch, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'or à deux croisettes pattées de ...., accostées; au 2 d'arg. à un trident au nat., posé en barre. A trois trangles ondées d'azur, alternant avec deux trangles ondées d'arg., br. sur le coupé. C.: un bras arm., brandissant une massue. S.: deux cerfs, au nat.”
Netherlandsc. 1815
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Map of Netherlands showing where the Hirshman arms are recorded
The Hirshman 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 Hirshman 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 Hirshman 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 Hirshman Family in Netherlands
The history of the Hirshman name in the Netherlands is deeply connected to the registration laws enacted during the early nineteenth century. When the French administration under Napoleon required all citizens to adopt fixed surnames in 1811, many families in the northern province of Friesland formalized names that reflected their cultural or geographic origins. The name Hirshman likely derives from the Germanic term for a deer or stag, which was a common element in naming traditions across the region. By 1815, records confirm that members of the Hirshman family were already established within the Frisian community. These early ancestors were part of a period of significant social transition as the Dutch government moved toward a modern system of civil registration. This shift ensured that the family name became a permanent part of the official legal landscape of the Netherlands, marking the transition from traditional naming customs to the structured identity records used today.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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 renne naiss. au nat. C.: un buste d'homme, hab. et tort. d'azur, ceint d'arg., les bras remplacés par deux demi-ramures de renne au nat. L. d'arg. et d'azur.”
FranconiaFranconia, c. 1765
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Map of Germany showing where the Hirshman arms are recorded
The Hirshman arms were recorded in Franconia, c. 1765.
Franconia was a patchwork of small territories in central Germany, full of minor landowners and prosperous market towns. So many separate households held land there that the region produced a great many coats of 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.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Germany in this period.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Netherlands when the Hirshman arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
In the Holy Roman Empire, coats of arms were often granted to individuals by the Emperor or his representatives. These arms were then passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants of the original holder. Younger branches of a family usually kept the same shield design without needing to change it, as the arms belonged to the entire lineage.
Granting authority
The Holy Roman Emperor held the sole power to grant new coats of arms throughout his vast imperial territories.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal imperial grant or by proving their noble status to the authorities.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Imperial Chancery registers, which began keeping formal records of such honors during the Middle Ages.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Franconia.
Origin & History of the Hirshman Family in Germany
The surname Hirshman originates from the German language, where it is derived from the words for deer and man. In the context of eighteenth-century Germany, the name often functioned as a descriptor for individuals who lived near forests or worked as hunters and gamekeepers. By 1765, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established in the Franconia region of Bavaria. During this period, Franconia was a patchwork of small territories, and families like the Hirshmans were often part of the local mercantile or agrarian classes. Life for these early ancestors was defined by the strict social structures of the Holy Roman Empire, where families were typically recorded in local parish registers or municipal tax documents. These records provide a glimpse into a time when the family was deeply rooted in the cultural and economic life of the Franconian countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hirsch
A German word meaning deer or stag.
This name
HirshmanAn occupational or habitational name referring to a man who lived at a house marked by a deer sign.
also spelled
Hirschman
Hirshman
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 (Civil Registry of Friesland), 1811–1815
Meertens, P.J., De betekenis van de Nederlandse familienamen, 1959
Van der Schaar, J., Woordenboek van voornamen, 1964
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lanceKnightly service and the tilt
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
