Hundreds of Dutch, German, French, and other Europeans settled in the Cape colony during the 143 years that it was ruled by the Dutch. Many brought coats of arms with them, while some assumed arms in the colony.

A selection of Cape Dutch arms, in alphabetical order:

The arms of VOC official Jeremias Auret, a Hollander of French ancestry, who arrived in 1747, are among the relatively few burgher arms of this period to use the colour green: Vert, on a chevron Argent five escallops inverted Sable.

Swedish-born military officer and explorer Olof Bergh, who arrived in 1676, appears to be the earliest settler/ stamvader (founder of a family) who can be positively identified as having been armigerous. His arms are depicted on a portrait dated 1685: Azure, on a mound in base Vert issuant therefrom to dexter two trees proper, a unicorn Argent.

A German settler, Johann Beyers, who arrived in 1757, bore paternal arms: Per pale, dexter Azure two bendlets Argent between three six-pointed stars in pale Or, sinister Argent a bear rampant Sable armed and langued Gules. A descendant, Dr Coenraad Beyers, who was the first State Herald 1963-64, registered these arms (1963).

Dutch clergyman Rev Meent Borcherds, who settled in the colony in 1785, bore fairly complicated arms: Per pale the sinister per fess, I Gules issuant from the palar line a demi- eagle Or; II Azure, issuant from a base Vert three flowers Argent; III Argent, issuant from a base Vert a tree-stump with a branch to sinister leaved proper.

In 1772, Christoffel Brand, grandson of the stamvader (who'd arrived in the 1680s), bore the canting arms On a base, a cooking pot, issuant therefrom flames. The original source (a seal) doesn't indicate tinctures. Did any earlier Brand (which means "burn") bear these arms?

German-born Johannes Bresler, who settled in the colony in 1752, is believed to have born the arms which were later borne by his descendants: Argent, on a fess Azure between three trefoils slipped Vert, as many six-pointed stars of the field.

The arms of Jacob Cloete, grandson of the German-born stamvader (who'd arrived in 1652), marshalled with those of his wife Sibilla Pasman, were depicted on a stained glass window in 1723. They are: Argent, on a base Vert a falconer statant vested, hatted and gauntleted and with a falcon on his raised dexter arm all proper. Did any earlier Cloetes bear these arms?

French-born Renault de St Jean, who arrived in 1719, bore Azure, three antelopes' heads couped at the neck Argent. At least two of his grandsons, Hendrik Eksteen and Ryno van der Riet, are known to have used seals of his arms on occasion, and it is said that the St Jean arms have become the de facto Van der Riet arms as a result.

The arms borne by some descendants of two of the three French Huguenot De Villiers brothers, who arrived in 1689, are Per fess Argent and Azure, in chief a bend Gules and in base a paschal lamb proper. There are some 20th-century variations of these arms, including those of Baron De Villiers of Wynberg (1910) and David de Villiers (2004).

In 1781, Olof de Wet, grandson of the stamvader (who arrived in 1693) bore the arms Argent, a Catherine wheel Gules. Did any earlier generations also bear these arms? A variant of these arms is borne by the Regiment De Wet.

VOC official Jan de la Fontaine, who arrived at the Cape in 1710, and was governor 1724-27 and 1729-37, bore Azure, eleven bees volant 3, 2, 3, 2, 1 Or.

French-born François Duminy arrived in 1783 and assumed arms around 1792: Azure, on a base Vert a rabbit couchant proper ensigned of a crescent Argent, in chief three six-pointed stars also Argent. The symbolism is said to be masonic (he was the highest-ranking mason in the colony).

J.P. Eksteen bore canting arms: Gules, a triangular cornerstone point to base and a chief Argent. Cornerstones are found in several other Eckstein arms in Germany.

Although Johann Michael Hertzog's surname means "duke", the arms on a seal which is believed to have been his show tools alluding to the wagonmakers' trade: A wheel, in chief dexter an axe the blade to sinister and sinister a wheel-block. The seal doesn't indicate tinctures. He was the stamvader's son: did the stamvader (who was also a wagonmaker) also bear these arms?

The arms borne by descendants of the German-born Hofmeyr stamvader, who arrived in 1744, bear simple arms: Azure, a horsehoe inverted Argent, with a pair of wings as a crest.

In 1767, German-born Johann Kirst was granted arms by one of the Holy Roman Emperor's counts palatine: Per pale: dexter Azure issuant from waves of the sea a column surmounted by a sword and a key in saltire all proper; sinister Or four bars Gules. This is the only known example of an imperial grant to a Cape colonist.

The arms of Dutch-born Willem Klerck, who arrived in 1793, were Argent, two keys in saltire Sable wards to chief and bows Gules. Together with those of his wife Aletta Deneys, they were sculpted on the pediment of their Cape Town house (now demolished).

The arms of French clergyman François le Sueur, who arrived in 1729, are said to have been granted to an ancestor by the king of France in 1360: Azure, a chevron between in chief two crescents and in base a rose, all Argent.

Swedish-born Daniel Pfeil, who had settled in the colony by 1717, bore canting arms which he appears to have assumed after his arrival: Three arrows fesswise barbs respectively to dexter, to sinister and to dexter interlaced with three more palewise barbs respectively to base, to chief and to base. "Pfeil" means "arrow". The tinctures are not indicated on the original source (but in Die Groot Afrikaanse Familienaamboek they are shown in the Swedish colours of blue and gold).

Dutch-born Jan Reitz, who arrived in 1794, bore Azure, in chief two 6-pointed stars Or and in base a fleur de lis Argent. His descendants included President François Reitz of the Orange Free State (1888-96).

The Smuts family is descended from a Dutch-born stamvader who arrived in the 1690s and adopted the surname some years later. Its most famous member was Field Marshal Jan Smuts, prime minister of SA 1919-24 and 1939-48, and co-founder of both the League of Nations and the United Nations. The arms are Per pale, the dexter per fess, I Purpure a Latin cross in bend Argent; II Azure, a plant with three flowers slipped and leaved Or; III Or, issuant from a mount in base an oaktree stump issuant therefrom a branch leaved, all proper.

Dutch stamvader Johannes Swellengrebel, arrived in 1691, and his arms were depicted on a stained glass window in 1723: Or, a fleur de lis Azure, banded Gules. His son Hendrik was governor of the colony 1737-51, and as a result the arms have been incorporated into municipal, school, and other arms in the town and district of Swellendam.

Dutch-born Baron Pieter van Reede van Oudtshoorn, who arrived in 1741, bore simple paternal (Van Rheede) arms: Argent, two bars dancetty Sable. Several municipal, school, and other arms in the towns and districts of Oudtshoorn and Paarl are based on these arms. The baron's seal showed his arms quartered with those of his wife (née Boesses), with the arms of the Dutch town of Oudtshoorn, of which he was "heer", i.e. lord, on an inescutcheon.

The colony's first commander, Jan van Riebeeck, was armigerous, and his simple ancestral arms - Gules, three annulets Or - have been incorporated into dozens of official, municipal, military, and corporate arms in recognition of his position as the "founding father" of (White) South Africa.

Simon van der Stel, who was governor 1679-99, bore more complicated arms: Quarterly, I Or two towers Gules; II Gules a peacock in its pride Or; III Gules three plates 1 and 2; IV Or a tower Gules; on an inescutcheon Azure six crescents [or ribs] Argent 2, 2 and 2. The Van der Stel arms (Or three towers Gules) are spread over the 1st and 4th quarters, while the inescutcheon is said to be the arms of his maternal grandmother Monica da Costa. His arms have been incorporated into several municipal, corporate and military arms in the town and district of Stellenbosch, which he founded.

References/Sources/Links

South African Heraldry Website © Arthur Radburn