History – Coat of Arms

Coat of Arms: Kolff and Van Santen Kolff
In blue three lowered colves in the shape of hammers (kolven), the middle one topped by a French lilly, all gold. Helmet sign: sitting silver swan, red tongue in black mouth. Tarpaulins: blue with gold.

Coat of Arms: Kolff van Oosterwijk
Partitioned: I the above described coat of arms Kolff and Van Santen Kolff; II in red three silver and blue hunting horns. Tarpaulins as with Kolff.

Coat of Arms: Van Breda Kolff
Partitioned in 4: I and IV the above described Kolff coat of arms; II and III in red three silver crosses. Tarpaulins as with Kolff.

Origin

Oldest know family member to use the coat of arms is Rev. Wolter Kolff (IX) (see also: History: Geography: From Gelre to Holland), according to the coat of arms of alliance between him and his wife, dated 1671 (in family archives). Within the sheeld without colours he used the three hammers (kolven, colven, or Kolffen), bats down, outer two inclining inwards, the middle one inclining to the right. As tarpaulin he used the swan.
Cornelis Kolff (Xc), notary public at The Hague, used the top coat of arms, including the swan, but standing and declining, to seal his documents (1704-1710). (The Hague Municipal Archive, Notarieel archief, inv.nrs. 1695 and 1696).

Litt.: Nederlands Patriciaat 78 (1994) 88-90. H.H. Heldring, ‘Het wapen and de naam van de familie Kolff’, De Ned. Leeuw 81 (1964) 286-288.
A. Bijl Mz., ‘Het wapen der familie Kolff’, De Ned. Leeuw 87 (1970) 128-130.