A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Balzer family of Switzerland.
Reg. 7964 · Swiss, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à une étoile d'arg. C.: l'étoile.”
SwitzerlandCoire, c. 1725
Where the Balzer Arms Were Recorded
Coire
Map of Switzerland showing where the Balzer arms are recorded
The Balzer arms were recorded in Coire, c. 1725.
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 Balzer Family in Switzerland
The surname Balzer is a patronymic name, which means it originated as a derivative of the given name Balthasar. This name was popular across German-speaking regions of Europe during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. By the time members of the family were documented in the city of Coire, also known as Chur, in 1725, the name had already been established for generations as a common identifier in the Swiss Grisons region. Families bearing this name often lived as citizens within these mountain communities, where they participated in the local trade, agriculture, and civic life that defined the Alpine economy. Because the name was tied to a common baptismal name rather than a specific location, it emerged independently in several different areas, reflecting the widespread influence of the name Balthasar in religious and cultural traditions.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Balthasar
Bel protect the king
This name
BalzerA patronymic surname derived from the ancient name meaning protected by God
also spelled
Balzere
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon, 1967
State Archives of the Canton of Grisons (Staatsarchiv Graubünden), Bürgerregister der Stadt Chur
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starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
