A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Beek family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 7893 · Swiss, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
fireZeal and purification
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“Tranché de gu. sur or ; à la rivière ondée d'arg., en bande, br. sur le tranché; le gu. ch. d'un livre ouv. d'arg., et l'or de trois brandons de sa., en pals, accostés, la partie supérieure allumée de gu. C.: un homme iss., hab. d'un parti d'or et de gu., rebr. de l'un à l'autre, au rabat de l'un en l'autre, coiffé d'un chapeau de sa., tenant de sa main dextre trois épis effeuillés d'or et de sa sen. un caducée du même. L. d'or et de sa”
Switzerlandc. 1745
Where the Beek Arms Were Recorded
Bern
Map of Switzerland showing where the Beek arms are recorded
The Beek 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 Beek Family in Switzerland
The family name Beek has deep roots in the Swiss city of Bern, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1745. In the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, the name is derived from the word for a stream or a small brook, suggesting that the earliest ancestors likely lived near a prominent water source or worked as millers. During the eighteenth century, Bern was a powerful city-state governed by a strict social hierarchy, and families like the Beeks were often integrated into the local craft guilds or agricultural networks that kept the region running. Life in Bern at this time was defined by the transition from medieval traditions to the early modern era, and the family would have experienced the political stability and economic growth that characterized the Swiss cantons before the turn of the century. By settling in this urban center, the early members of the Beek family became part of a long tradition of Swiss civic life that valued trade, local governance, and community ties.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bach
A small stream or brook flowing through a landscape.
This name
BeekRefers to someone who lived near a small stream or brook.
also spelled
Beeck
Beck
Bek
Related arms
Beckvariant spelling
Beeckvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, 2002
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Bürgerrodel der Stadt Bern, 1745
Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz, Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz, 1989
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
fireZeal and purification
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
fireZeal and purification
