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Huitfeldt is a Norwegian noble family.
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Name and origin
Huitfeldt is originally an old Danish noble family. It came to Norway around 1581 with Anders Huitfeldt (ca. 1555–1620). In 1582 he married Margrete Pedersdatter Litle, the daughter of officer in command at Akershus Fortress, Peder Hansen Litle and Ingeborg Nilsdatter Gyllenløve. Anders Huitfeldt became the owner of the seat farm Tronstad, which for 220 years remained in the family's possession.
In Denmark, the family's certainly documented paternal line goes back to Henrik Nielsen, floruit 1429, in Ventofte on Funen. During the Middle Ages, the family used the name Hogenskild. Among these are the known knight Claus Hogenskild (fl. 1386) and member of the Council of the Kingdom Lord Peder Hogenskild (ca. 1400–1478).
In 1526, when King Frederik I of Denmark and Norway instructed the Danish nobility to adopt permanent family names, the family took the name Huitfeldt based on their arms. The name consists of the words huit (modern spelling: hvit) and feldt (ditto: felt), meaning respectively white and field.
Coat of arms
Description: On a white shield a red bend. On the helm alternately five red and five white banners.
Hurum Municipality's arms are inspired by the Huitfeldt arms.
Various
Lying by Hurum Church is the Huitfeldt Grave Chapel, which in the early 1660s was constructed under Tønne Huitfeldt and which was renovated in 1750. The chapel has one of the country's biggest and richst collections of coffins.