Do I have a family crest?  We are asked this question regularly. Unfortunately we are not always able to determine so.  We do have an extensive collection of seals of the crest engravings we’ve made in the past 100 years.

We also own many heraldic reference books, under which “the Rietstap”.  This bookwork contains several images of (inter)national family crests. Understandably we also have the Repertoire of Crests of Well-known Dutch Families created by C.E.G. ten Houte de Lange.  Furthermore we own almost all the nobility books.

We are able to search for family crests under a certain name but it is impossible for us to establish if you ,without question, belong to that family.  In that case you should contact the Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie.

The CBG is the only official Dutch organ who can give a definite answer to your question. The CBG is part of the Royal Library of The Hague.  We very much recommend a visit to the Bureau.  You will be surprised about the information they have gathered.

Should you find out that your family does not have a coat of arms, we also offer the possibility to design one for you.  In consultation, we will make a design which fits the heraldic regulations and can later be presented to the board of the CBG to be officially registered. Besides the CBG, newly designed family crests can also be registered with the Dutch Association of Genealogy (Hollandse Vereniging voor Genealogie)

For more information regarding the official registration and costs involved we refer to the CBG or the Hollandse Vereniging voor Genealogie.

Here below you will find some examples of official registrations we have completed for our clients.

The process of designing a new crest 

We need additional information before we can start on the design. Usually we will have a consultation in which we can discuss what references the family would wish to have incorporated in their crest. This for instance could be: religion, heritage, profession or family specialism.

The details will be discussed with our heraldic specialist, who is able to translate these references in to heraldic symbols and turn them in to a family crest.  We will present you with a draft and presentation first in wich we can adjust the design to your wishes. It is important to keep the crest simple and not too detailed.  When the design is approved, it is possible to have the family crest painted. With this painting you are also able to apply for a registration of the crest.

Here below a selection of designs: