A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Flesher family of Switzerland.
Reg. 8830 · Swiss, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“D'azur au saut. d'or, cant. de quatre aigles d'arg. C.: une aigle d'arg.”
Switzerlandc. 1745
Where the Flesher Arms Were Recorded
Bern
Map of Switzerland showing where the Flesher arms are recorded
The Flesher 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 Flesher Family in Switzerland
The surname Flesher serves as an occupational descriptor that traces its roots back to the medieval practice of naming individuals based on their trade. Historically, the name is an anglicized version of terms related to a butcher or a person who dealt in meat, derived from the Middle English word "flescher." By the mid-eighteenth century, the family had established a notable presence in the city of Bern, Switzerland. Records from 1745 indicate that members of the family were integrated into the local community during a period when Bern was a powerful city-state known for its strict administrative record-keeping. As the family moved across borders and through different regions, the spelling of the name often shifted to match the local language, yet it consistently maintained its connection to the essential craft of butchery that defined the family's early economic life.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Flesch
Germanic term referring to flesh or meat.
This name
FlesherAn occupational surname for a butcher or someone who sold meat.
also spelled
Flecher
Fleschere
Fleschier
Flesher
Fletcher
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
State Archives of the Canton of Bern, Burgerrodel der Stadt Bern, 1745
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
