Map of Switzerland showing where the Dola arms are recorded
The Dola 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 Dola Family in Switzerland
The history of the Dola family in Switzerland is rooted in the social and economic landscape of the mid-eighteenth century. Official records confirm that members of the family were established in the city of Bern by 1745. During this period, Bern functioned as a powerful city-state where residency was strictly regulated and documented by local authorities. Families like the Dolas often integrated into the urban fabric by participating in the local trades or administrative roles that supported the city’s growth. Because Bern served as a central hub for trade and politics in the Swiss Confederation, the presence of the family there suggests they were part of a mobile population that moved between regional centers to seek new opportunities. Their early history reflects the broader movement of families who settled in Swiss cities to build stable lives within the structured society of the Ancien Régime.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de sin. à un cep de vigne d'or, en bande, fruité de quatre grappes de raisins au nat.; aux 2 et 3 échiq. d'arg. et de gu. Cq. cour. C.: trois pl. d'aut., une d'or entre deux de sin. L.: à dextre d'or et de sin., à sen. d'or et de gu.”
BavariaBavaria, c. 1789
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Map of Germany showing where the Dola arms are recorded
The Dola arms were recorded in Bavaria, c. 1789.
Bavaria was a country of old landed families and walled market towns. Estates passed down the same line for centuries, and both the landowners and the leading townsmen kept arms, which is why so many Bavarian names sit in the registers.
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 Germany in this period.
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
1765–1790
Reigning in Switzerland when the Dola arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Germany
In the Holy Roman Empire, coats of arms were often granted to individuals by the Emperor or his representatives. These arms were then passed down through the generations to all legitimate descendants of the original holder. Younger branches of a family usually kept the same shield design without needing to change it, as the arms belonged to the entire lineage.
Granting authority
The Holy Roman Emperor held the sole power to grant new coats of arms throughout his vast imperial territories.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal imperial grant or by proving their noble status to the authorities.
Where arms were recorded
These grants were officially recorded in the Imperial Chancery registers, which began keeping formal records of such honors during the Middle Ages.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Bavaria.
Origin & History of the Dola Family in Germany
The family name Dola has deep roots in the southern German region of Bavaria, where records confirm members of the family were established by the year 1789. During this period, Bavaria was a complex landscape of agricultural estates and growing market towns, and the Dola name likely emerged as a way to identify individuals based on their local community or specific trade. Because surnames in rural Germany often evolved from nicknames or geographical markers, the name may have been linked to the unique dialects spoken in the Bavarian Alps or the Danube river basin. Families like the Dolas were typically part of the industrious middle class or farming communities that helped shape the social fabric of the region during the late eighteenth century. As the family grew, they contributed to the local traditions and labor systems that defined Bavarian life before the major political shifts of the nineteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Dol
Derived from the Latin word dolus meaning deceit or trickery.
This name
DolaA topographic name for someone living in a valley or a variant of a name indicating a deceptive person.
also spelled
Doll
Dollee
Dola
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Bürgerrodel der Stadt Bern
Historischer Verein des Kantons Bern, Berner Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Heimatkunde, 1945
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
grapesPlenty, and the labour of the vine
