Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store
Boom Coat of Arms / Boom Family CrestThe surname of BOOM is of German origin and has two-fold beginnings. It was a locational name meaning the dweller at the barrier placed across roads by the toll collector. Local names usually denoted where a man held his land, and indicated where he actually lived. Almost every city, town or village existing in the Middle Ages has served to name one or more families. Where a man lived was his means of identification. When a man left his birthplace or village where he had been known, and went elsewhere, people would likely refer to him by the name of his former residence or birthplace, or by the name of the land which he owned. Originally the coat of arms identified the wearer, either in battle or in tournaments. Completely covered in body and facial armour the knight could be spotted and known by the insignia painted on his shield, and embroidered on his surcoat, the draped garment which enveloped him. Between the 11th and 15th centuries it became customary for surnames to be assumed in Europe, but were not commonplace in England or Scotland before the Norman Conquest of 1066. They are to be found in the Domesday Book of 1086. Those of gentler blood assumed surnames at this time, but it was not until the reign of Edward II (1307-1327) that second names became general practice for all people. The name was also a nickname for a tall person. Notable members of the name include Antoine Baume (1728-1804) the French chemist born in Senlis, and Vicki Baume (1888-1960) the Austrian born American novelist. She made her name with 'Grand Hotel' (1930).The first hereditary surnames on German soil are found in the second half of the 12th century, slightly later than in England and France. However, it was not until the 16th century that they became stabilized. The practice of adopting hereditary surnames began in the southern areas of Germany, and gradually spread northwards during the Middle Ages. The associated arms are recorded in |
