Map of Netherlands showing where the Wortman arms are recorded
The Wortman arms were recorded in Utrecht, c. 1815.
Utrecht was an old church town with rich farming country around it. Both the church and the land produced families of standing, and families of standing kept arms to seal their documents with.
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
Utrecht
First recorded
1815
Granting Authority for the Wortman 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 Wortman 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 Utrecht.
Origin & History of the Wortman Family in Netherlands
The family name Wortman is rooted in the linguistic traditions of the Low Countries, where it likely functioned as a descriptive occupational or locational identifier. In the Dutch language, the prefix "wort" often relates to roots or gardens, while the suffix "man" denotes a person associated with that specific trade or place. By the year 1815, the family was firmly established in the city of Utrecht, a period marked by significant administrative changes as the Netherlands transitioned into a unified kingdom. During this era, the Napoleonic Code and subsequent Dutch civil registration laws required families to formalize their surnames for official census and tax records. This shift helped solidify the spelling and lineage of the Wortman name within the urban landscape of Utrecht, anchoring the family as part of the region's growing middle class during the nineteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Woert
An enclosed piece of land or a homestead.
This name
WortmanA person who lived on or managed an enclosed piece of land or farmstead.
also spelled
Wortman
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Het Utrechts Archief, Burgerlijke Stand van de gemeente Utrecht (1811–1902)
Nationaal Archief, Bevolkingsregisters van de provincie Utrecht
Van der Schaar, J., Woordenboek van voornamen, 1964
Huizinga, A., Encyclopedie van namen, 1955
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
trefoilPerpetuity, and the Trinity
