Map of Netherlands showing where the Wolfheart arms are recorded
The Wolfheart arms were recorded in Bois-le, 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
Bois-le
Town
Bois-le
First recorded
1815
Granting Authority for the Wolfheart 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 Wolfheart 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 Wolfheart Family in Netherlands
The Wolfheart family name carries a history rooted in the turbulent landscape of early nineteenth-century Europe. Records confirm that members of the family were living in the town of Bois-le-Duc, also known as 's-Hertogenbosch, during the year 1815. This period was a time of great change as the region transitioned following the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. The name itself likely emerged as a descriptive surname, a common practice in Germanic and Dutch-speaking regions where names were often derived from personal traits or nature imagery to distinguish individuals within a community. By establishing themselves in this strategic fortified city, the early Wolfhearts were likely part of the local merchant or artisan classes who navigated the shifting political borders of the Netherlands during the formation of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Their presence in this specific location suggests a life defined by the resilience required to survive the economic and social pressures of the post-Napoleonic era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Wolf and Hart
A predatory canine and a courageous or strong-willed spirit.
This name
WolfheartA descriptive surname denoting a person with the fierce nature of a wolf.
also spelled
Wolfhart
Wolfhaerdt
Wolfheart
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
wolfReward from long service and hard work
wolfReward from long service and hard work
