Major Symbols

Five ears of grain sprouting between two silver horns;A hand holding a red heart; A green hatchet with a gold handle ornamented with three black rings; A gold ring flanked by two golden ears of grain.

 

History

The upper half of the coat of arms goes back to the family Carnarius (originally Vleeschoudere) who, presumably, came to the township of Bremen as religious refugees in 1530, the community being Calvinistic at that time. This family, originating from the Flemish city of Gent, definitely carried the green hatchet in their traditional coat of arms.

The newly amended symbol of the heart is supposed to express the deep attachment to the new Reformed Church. For this belief, they had been willing to give up their home in Flanders in order to practice their religion without interference. For us, as descendants, the symbolic legacy can be expressed in the motto, "We give our lives and our hearts over to the hand of God."

The two golden ears of grain, seen in the lower part of the escutcheon, stand for the modern version of the name, Kornahrens which, within the Bremish county of Bederkesa and influenced by the family’s dialect, has undergone several changes since the early Latin form, Carnarius.

The golden ring symbolizes the unique and true association of The Kornahrens Family to the historic Börde Ringstedt (Ringstedt County) which, in modern terms, approximates the greater community of Bederkesa.

Finally, the green background alludes to the predominately rural tradition of The Kornahrens Family which dates back several centuries.