Map of Switzerland showing where the Chatten arms are recorded
The Chatten 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 Chatten Family in Switzerland
The family name Chatten has roots that trace back to the German-speaking regions of Europe, with documented evidence placing family members in the city of Bern by 1745. During the mid-eighteenth century, Bern was a powerful city-state where families often established themselves through trade, craftsmanship, or service to the local government. The name itself likely evolved from regional dialects, possibly serving as a descriptive term for an individual’s occupation or their place of origin within the Swiss Confederation. As families moved through these mountainous territories, they often adapted their surnames to fit the linguistic patterns of the towns where they settled. By the time the family was recorded in Bern, they were part of a complex social structure that valued record-keeping and civic participation. These early ancestors lived through a period of significant political stability in Switzerland, which allowed families to maintain consistent records of their presence and contributions to the local community.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Chatte
Old French term for a cat or a nickname for a cat-like person.
This name
ChattenA topographic name for someone living near a cat-shaped hill or a nickname for a nimble individual.
also spelled
Shatenay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, Bern (Gemeinde), 2004
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Stadt Bern, 1745
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axeThe execution of military duty
axeThe execution of military duty
