Speelman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Speelman was first found in Holland, where the name became noted for its many branches in the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. The name was first recorded in Friesland, a province historically almost independent, but joined the Union of Utrecht to escape the tyranny of Spain. In the 17th and 18th centuries the house of Nassau-Siegen were stadtholders, but in 1748 William of Nasau-Siegen became Prince William IV of Orange and all the provinces. His grandson became William I, King of the Netherlands 1815. In their later history the name became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family.