A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Crich family of Switzerland.
Reg. 7337 · Swiss, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“Coupé: au 1 fuselé-couché de sa. et d'arg.; au 2 de gu. plein. C.: un chapeau piramidal aux armes de l'écu, sommé d'un panache de plumes de coq de sa.”
Switzerlandc. 1745
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Map of Switzerland showing where the Crich arms are recorded
The Crich 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 Crich Family in Switzerland
The family name Crich carries a history deeply rooted in the heart of Europe, with documented evidence placing members of the family in the city of Bern by the year 1745. During the eighteenth century, Bern served as a major center for trade and administration, attracting families who were often involved in the skilled crafts or the growing mercantile class of the Swiss Confederacy. The name itself likely originated as a locative surname, which was a common practice in medieval Europe where individuals were identified by the specific village or geographic feature near their home. As the family established themselves in the urban environment of Bern, they became part of the complex social fabric of a city governed by powerful patrician families. Their presence in official records from this period suggests that they were settled citizens who contributed to the local economy and community life during a time of significant transition in Swiss history.
Crich Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Cric
A Celtic or Gaulish term referring to a hill or crest.
This name
CrichA topographic name for someone who lived near a prominent hill or ridge.
also spelled
Kriech
Kreek
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Bürgerrodel der Stadt Bern (1745)
Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, Bern (Gemeinde) (2002)
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