Herenthout

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HERENTHOUT

Province : Antwerpen

Official blazon

(1819) Van lazuur beladen met een St. Petrus van goud.
(1844) een blauw veld met het gulden beeld van den Heiligen Peter.
(1995) In lazuur een Sint-Pieter staande op een zwevende grond, houdende in de rechterhand een sleutel, het geheel van goud, vergezeld links van een schild van goud met een beurtelings gekanteelde dwarsbalk van keel.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on June 6, 1995, the previous arms were granted on October 6, 1819 and confirmed on December 7, 1844.

The arms show St. Peter, the patron saint of the town. The colours are the Dutch national colours, which were not changed after the Belgian independence or in 1995.

St. Peter already appeared on the local seals from the 16th and 17th century with one (or two) keys in his right hand and supporting a small shield with the arms of the Van Herlaar family, the oldest known Lords of Herenthout. These seals remained in use until the late 18th century.

The previous arms only showed St. Peter (see below), as the historical seals were no longer known and only re-discoverd in the late 20th century.