A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the du Toit family of Switzerland.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à deux poteaux d'or, supp. un toit de gu., adextrés et senestrés d'une haie d'osiers d'or.”
The du Toit 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.
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.
The surname du Toit originates from the French language and translates literally to "of the roof" or "from the thatch." This suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived in a house with a thatched roof or worked as roofers in their local community. While many people associate the name with French Huguenot refugees who fled to South Africa, the family also established deep roots in Switzerland. Records confirm that members of the family were well-settled in the city of Bern by 1745. During this period, the family integrated into the local Swiss society, likely contributing to the urban life and trades of the region. Their presence in Bern highlights how the family name moved across European borders as individuals sought new opportunities and stability in different cities.
Old French term for a small piece of land or clearing.
