A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Zeman family of Belgium.
Reg. 8071 · Belgian
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
ermineDignity and rank
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De gu. à trois fasces d'arg., ch. de douze mouch. d'herm. de sa., 5, 4 et 3. C.: deux Mores, iss. et affr., celui à dextre hab. d'arg. avec retroussis de gu., celui à sen. hab. de gu. avec retroussis d'arg.”
BrabantBrabant, c. 1737
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Map of Belgium showing where the Zeman arms are recorded
The Zeman arms were recorded in Brabant, c. 1737.
Brabant lay at the heart of the Low Countries, where the trade routes met. Its towns were wealthy and its landowners many, and both kinds of family kept arms, which is why the region is so heavily represented.
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 Belgium in this period.
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
1711–1740
Reigning in Belgium when the Zeman arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Belgium
In Belgium, a coat of arms is considered personal property that is passed down through the male line to legitimate descendants. Families often use the same shield design across generations to show their shared heritage. If a branch of the family wants to change the design, they must apply for an official update to their specific version of the arms.
Granting authority
The Conseil héraldique is the official body that regulates and approves all coats of arms in Belgium.
How they got arms
Families obtain their coats of arms through formal royal grants or by confirming their historical right to use existing designs.
Where arms were recorded
All approved coats of arms are officially recorded in the public registers of the Conseil héraldique since 1844.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Brabant.
Origin & History of the Zeman Family in Belgium
The surname Zeman is rooted in the Slavic linguistic tradition, where it historically functioned as a status-based occupational name. Derived from the word *země*, which means land or earth, the name originally identified a person who was a landholder or a farmer. By the time members of the family were documented in the Duchy of Brabant in 1737, the name had traveled far from its linguistic origins in Central Europe. During the eighteenth century, Brabant was a bustling region of trade and agriculture under the rule of the Austrian Netherlands. Families like the Zemans often migrated across these borders to seek better farmland or opportunities in the growing urban centers. As they settled into their new communities, the family name served as a link to their ancestral heritage while they adapted to the local culture and customs of the Low Countries.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
země
The Slavic word for land, earth, or soil.
This name
ZemanA topographic name for someone who lived on or worked a specific piece of land.
also spelled
Zammann
Zamon
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Gottschald, Max. Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen nach ihrer Entstehung und Bedeutung. 1971
Heintze, Albert. Die deutschen Familiennamen, geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich. 1903
State Archives in Belgium (Rijksarchief), Parish registers of the Duchy of Brabant
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
ermineDignity and rank
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
ermineDignity and rank
