A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Erp family of Switzerland.
Reg. 6006 · Swiss, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“D'or à un coeur de gu., soutenu d'un tertre de trois coupeaux de sin. et sommé d'un oiseau de couleur brunâtre, la patte dextre levée. C.: les meubles de l'écu, entre deux prob d'or. L. d'or et de gu.”
Switzerlandc. 1745
Where the Erp Arms Were Recorded
Bern
Map of Switzerland showing where the Erp arms are recorded
The Erp 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 Erp Family in Switzerland
The surname Erp is rooted in the linguistic traditions of Germanic regions, where it likely originated as a short form of ancient names containing the element "er," which often related to honor or battle. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the family established a documented presence in the city of Bern, Switzerland. At that time, Bern was a powerful city-state governed by a strict social hierarchy, and families like the Erps were often integrated into the local urban economy as skilled tradespeople or merchants. Because the city maintained meticulous civil and religious registers to track its inhabitants, the records from 1745 confirm that the family was part of the established community during a period of significant political stability and economic growth in the Swiss Confederation. This era required families to be well-integrated into the local guilds or parish structures to maintain their status, suggesting that the early Erp family members were active participants in the daily civic life of Bern.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Erpold
Derived from the Germanic elements for boar and bold or brave.
This name
ErpA patronymic surname originating from a short form of ancient Germanic personal names.
also spelled
Erp
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Stadt Bern (Baptismal and marriage registers for the mid-18th century)
Dubler, Anne-Marie, Stadt und Land in der Schweiz des 18. Jahrhunderts, 1980
Feller, Richard, Geschichte Berns von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart, 1946
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heartSincerity, charity and true affection
