A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Briner family of Switzerland.
Reg. 4364 · Swiss, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De sa. à la fasce d'or. C.: deux prob. fascées d'arg. et de gu. de quatre pièces, sommées chacune d'un panache de plumes de coq de sa.”
Switzerlandc. 1745
Where the Briner Arms Were Recorded
Bern
Map of Switzerland showing where the Briner arms are recorded
The Briner 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 Briner Family in Switzerland
The surname Briner is deeply rooted in the history of the Swiss Canton of Bern, where records confirm the family was well-established by the mid-eighteenth century. The name is classified as an occupational surname, which was a common way to identify people in medieval Europe based on their trade or daily work. Etymologically, the name is linked to the Middle High German word "brin," which refers to a person who worked with burning or roasting processes, likely in the context of charcoal production or metal smelting. As families in the Bernese region grew and settled into specific valleys and villages, the Briners became part of the local agricultural and artisanal fabric of the Swiss landscape. Their presence in official records from 1745 reflects a time when the family had already secured a stable place within the community, contributing to the local economy and the social development of the region for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Brünner
A person who originates from the town of Brugg or Brunnen.
This name
BrinerAn occupational or habitational surname referring to a resident of a spring or well site.
also spelled
Bryner
Brinner
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
Brechenmacher, Josef Karlmann, Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Familiennamen, 1957
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Kirchgemeinde Bern
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Burgerrodel der Stadt Bern
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
