Map of Netherlands showing where the Vermeulen arms are recorded
The Vermeulen arms were recorded in Amsterdam, c. 1815.
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
Amsterdam
Town
Amsterdam
First recorded
1815
Granting Authority for the Vermeulen 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 Vermeulen 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 Vermeulen Family in Netherlands
The surname Vermeulen is a classic example of a topographic name, which means it was originally used to identify people based on where they lived or worked. In Dutch, the name translates literally to "from the mill," suggesting that the earliest ancestors were likely millers or lived in close proximity to a windmill. By the time the family was documented in Amsterdam in 1815, the name had become a well-established identifier for families connected to the bustling trade and infrastructure of the city. During this period, Amsterdam was a center of rapid growth and industrial change, and the name Vermeulen reflects the vital role that milling played in the local economy, whether for grinding grain or powering the saws used in the city’s famous shipbuilding industry. As the family settled into urban life, the name served as a link to their rural or trade-based roots, marking them as part of the hardworking population that helped build the foundation of the modern Dutch capital.
Vermeulen Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Meulen
A structure used for grinding grain into flour.
This name
VermeulenRefers to someone who lived near or worked at a mill.
also spelled
Vermeule
Vermulen
Related arms
Vermenlenvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Debrabandere, Frans. Woordenboek van de familienamen in België en Noord-Frankrijk. 2003
Meertens, P.J. De betekenis van de Nederlandse familienamen. 1993
Stadsarchief Amsterdam, Bevolkingsregister 1815
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
