A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Dolle family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 2965 · Swiss, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“De sa., vêtu en rond d'arg.; le sa. ch. d'un oiseau d'arg., bq. et m. de gu. C.: l'oiseau, soutenu d'un coussin de gu.”
Switzerlandc. 1745
Where the Dolle Arms Were Recorded
Bern
Map of Switzerland showing where the Dolle arms are recorded
The Dolle 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 Dolle Family in Switzerland
The family name Dolle has deep roots in the Swiss region of Bern, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1745. During this period, the name was closely tied to the social and economic structures of the Old Swiss Confederacy. Families like the Dolles often played active roles in local trade or agriculture, which were the primary ways people sustained their households in the alpine valleys and surrounding plains. Because Switzerland was organized into distinct cantons, families often stayed within specific regions for generations, allowing them to build strong ties to their local communities. The presence of the Dolle name in 18th-century Bern suggests that they were part of the steady growth of the city’s population during a time of relative stability. By participating in the daily life of the canton, these early family members helped shape the local history that defines the region today.
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
Where the Dolle Arms Were Recorded
Bavaria
Map of Germany showing where the Dolle arms are recorded
The Dolle 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 Dolle 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 Dolle Family in Germany
The family name Dolle has deep roots in the German region of Bavaria, where records confirm members of the family were established by the late eighteenth century. The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname or a shortened form of a longer Germanic given name, reflecting the common practice of identifying individuals by personal traits or local geography during the Middle Ages. In the social landscape of 1789 Bavaria, families with this name were often integrated into the rural agricultural economy, living in small village communities that were governed by local traditions and the influence of the church. As the region transitioned through the political shifts of the late 1700s, the Dolle family remained part of the foundational fabric of Bavarian society, contributing to the local labor force and the cultural development of their home districts. Their presence in historical records from this era highlights a long-standing connection to the land and the steady, quiet growth of the family line across generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
dull
A Middle High German term referring to a foolish or dull person.
This name
DolleA descriptive nickname for an individual perceived as slow-witted or simple-minded.
also spelled
Doll
Dollee
Dola
Related arms
Dolvariant spelling
Dollvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Stadt Bern (1745)
Familiennamenbuch der Schweiz, Dolle von Bern (1989)
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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
