A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Denz family of Switzerland.
Reg. 7582 · Swiss, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur au lion d'or, cour. du même, tenant de ses pattes une flèche du même en pal, arm. et empennée d'arg. C.: le lion, iss.”
SwitzerlandCoire, c. 1725
Where the Denz Arms Were Recorded
Coire
Map of Switzerland showing where the Denz arms are recorded
The Denz 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 Denz Family in Switzerland
The family name Denz has deep roots in the Alpine region, with documented evidence placing members of the family in the city of Coire, known today as Chur, Switzerland, by the year 1725. During the eighteenth century, Coire served as a vital crossroads for trade and culture in the Grisons region, which allowed families like the Denz line to establish themselves within the local urban society. The name itself is thought to be a shortened form of names like Dionysius or Denzinger, which were common in German-speaking territories during the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. As residents of a prominent administrative and religious center, the early Denz family likely participated in the local guild systems or municipal governance that defined life in the Swiss cantons. Their presence in the city records from this era highlights their integration into a community that acted as a gateway between the northern European lands and the Italian peninsula.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Dionysius
Derived from the Greek god of wine and fertility.
This name
DenzA Swiss-German patronymic form originating as a short version of the name Dionysius.
also spelled
Dents
Denzs
Denzh
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv Graubünden, Bürgerrodel der Stadt Chur
Stadtarchiv Chur, Einwohnerverzeichnisse der Stadt Chur
Schorta, Andrea, Die Ortsnamen des Kantons Graubünden, 1964
Von Salis, L.R., Die Stadt Chur im 18. Jahrhundert, 1900
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lionCourage, strength and royalty
lionCourage, strength and royalty
