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)“De gu. à un poisson d'arg., posé en pal, acc. de trois glands du même, les queues en bas.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hojo family of Netherlands.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. à un poisson d'arg., posé en pal, acc. de trois glands du même, les queues en bas.”

The Hojo 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.
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.
The Hojo family name has deep roots in the northern coastal regions of the Netherlands, specifically within the province of Friesland. By the year 1815, records confirm that members of the family were well-established residents in this area. During the early 19th century, Friesland was a region defined by its unique language and strong agricultural traditions. Families living there often worked in farming or maritime trades, which were the primary ways to support a household at the time. Because the name is quite rare, it is likely that the early Hojo ancestors lived in close-knit rural communities where they maintained local customs and passed their family identity down through generations. These early records from 1815 provide a clear starting point for tracing the family as they navigated the changing political landscape of the Netherlands during the post-Napoleonic era.
Derived from the Middle Dutch word for high or tall.