A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Aich family of Switzerland.
Reg. 2771 · Swiss, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. au lion naiss. de sa., cour. d'or. C.: le lion iss.”
Switzerlandc. 1745
Where the Aich Arms Were Recorded
Bern
Map of Switzerland showing where the Aich arms are recorded
The Aich arms were recorded in Switzerland, c. 1745.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bern.
Bern was the largest of the Swiss cantons and ran itself, with its own council and its own courts. Its governing families held office for generations, and office of that kind carried a shield with it.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Switzerland in this period.
How Arms Worked in Switzerland
In Switzerland, coats of arms were not restricted to the nobility and were often adopted by common citizens and families. These symbols were passed down through generations to show family identity. When branches of a family grew, they often changed small details of the design to distinguish their own line from the original group.
Granting authority
Cantonal and civic authorities managed the use of coats of arms within their specific regions and local jurisdictions.
How they got arms
Families typically assumed their own coats of arms based on local custom rather than receiving them from a central monarch.
Where arms were recorded
Arms were recorded in various cantonal and civic registers starting from the fourteenth century throughout the Swiss region.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Switzerland.
Origin & History of the Aich Family in Switzerland
The family name Aich is deeply rooted in the German-speaking regions of Europe, where it originated as a topographic surname. In the Middle Ages, people often adopted names based on the landscape surrounding their homes, and the word Aich is derived from the Old High German term for an oak tree. This suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a prominent oak forest or a landmark tree that served as a local meeting point. By the mid-eighteenth century, records confirm that members of the Aich family were well-established in the city of Bern. During this period, Bern was a center of political and economic influence, and families living there were often integrated into the city’s guild systems or agricultural networks. These early residents helped define the name as one associated with the industrious spirit of the Swiss plateau, marking a transition from rural origins to established urban life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Eiche
German word for oak tree.
This name
AichA topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent oak tree or in an oak forest.
also spelled
Aych
Aike
Related arms
Aychvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Stadt Bern, 1745
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 1971
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
