It was designed when the region was united in 1595 and formally approved in 1947 by Queen Wilhelmina.

In 1595, the city of Groningen and the Ommelanden or surrounding regions come to an agreement to form a united domain (Dutch: gewest).

The city already had direct control over the regions Gorecht, Oldambt, Reiderland, and Westerwolde.

[1] More than 350 years later, on 30 December 1947, the coat of arms was formally approved by royal decree of Queen Wilhelmina.

[1] The escutcheon of the Ommelanden has a silver field with three diagonal blue bendlets, representing the three regions, and eleven red heart-shaped charges ("pompeblêd"), representing the eleven subregions.