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In Dutch refered to as Huismerk or Handmerk, literally translated as house mark or hand mark, a house brand served as a signature tto indicate ownership of a tool , as well as which master carpenter or mason had provided work to a building or nay other construction.
Handmerken are of ancient origin and probably derive from runes, and are therefore predate any heraldry, crests and the like. Many families utilised these older symbols as basis for what would become their personal or family crest.
Sometimes you find both the older and the newer elements together in the family crest, as for example in the Kievit crest. Dozens of others have a similar approach to their design.
Below a huismerk placed on a shield of a Flakkee family.
Boelhouwer Both now are typical family crests and now have nothing more in common with the original handmerk or huismerk.
The distinction lies in the permanence of the family crest as opposed to the handmerk which changed every time a new family member (mostly from father to son) started using the brand for himself and either added a line or, on the other hand, left one out. This can for instance be seen with the Troost family of Heinenoord. This family demonstrates as well that women too, can use their father's mark.
It is hoped this explanation clearly delineates the difference between the earlier marks and the later heraldic symbols.