A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Footer family of Switzerland.
Reg. 9183 · Swiss, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
cometA great event foretold, and swift renown
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à une comète d'or en chef, la queue en pal, accostée de deux étoiles d'or; ladite queue soutenue d'un tertre de sin. C.: une étoile hérissée d'or.”
SwitzerlandBerne, c. 1745
Where the Footer Arms Were Recorded
Berne
Map of Switzerland showing where the Footer arms are recorded
The Footer arms were recorded in Berne, c. 1745.
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 Footer Family in Switzerland
The family name Footer carries a history deeply rooted in the cultural landscape of eighteenth-century Switzerland. Records confirm that members of the family were established residents of Berne by 1745, a time when the city served as a vital center of political and economic activity within the Swiss Confederacy. During this era, surnames often evolved from specific occupations, geographic locations, or personal descriptors, reflecting the daily lives of families living in the alpine regions. As the Footer family integrated into the society of Berne, they participated in the local traditions and administrative life of the canton. Their presence in such a prominent city suggests that they were part of the stable middle class that helped shape the region during the mid-1700s. By tracing their roots to this specific time and place, we gain insight into the migration patterns and social structures that defined early Swiss families.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Fuss
Germanic word referring to the lower extremity of the human body.
This name
FooterAn occupational surname for a person who worked as a foot soldier or a pedestrian messenger.
also spelled
Fuetter
Fuetere
Fuetre
Footer
Futer
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Stadt Bern (1745)
Dubler, Anne-Marie, Stadt und Land in der Schweiz des 18. Jahrhunderts (1985)
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
cometA great event foretold, and swift renown
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
cometA great event foretold, and swift renown
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
