A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fur family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
Reg. 7961 · Swiss, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
knightChivalry and service in arms
shipEnterprise, and a great voyage undertaken
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
Colours
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'or à un homme dans un canot qu'il fait avancer au moyen d'un aviron, sur une mer au nat.; ledit homme hab. de sa. et coiffé d'un chapeau du même. C.: une arbre de sin., fruité d'or, le pied accosté de palmes de sin. L. d'or et d'azur.”
SwitzerlandBâle, c. 1745
Where the Fur Arms Were Recorded
Bâle
Map of Switzerland showing where the Fur arms are recorded
The Fur arms were recorded in Bâle, 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 Fur Family in Switzerland
The family name Fur has deep roots in the Swiss city of Bâle, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1745. During the eighteenth century, Bâle was a prominent center for trade and silk manufacturing, which likely influenced the daily lives and occupations of early family members. The name itself is often associated with the Alemannic German linguistic tradition common to the Basel region, where surnames frequently evolved from descriptions of a person’s trade, physical traits, or place of origin. Living in a city known for its strict guild systems and merchant culture, the Fur family would have been part of a highly organized urban society that valued craftsmanship and civic duty. As the family grew within this bustling Rhine River hub, they participated in the social and economic shifts that defined the Swiss Enlightenment, helping to shape the local history of the region through their presence in the city’s records and community life.
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lambGentleness, patience and faith
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Coupé de sa. sur or; à un agneau ramp. de l'un en l'autre. C.: un agneau iss. d'or; entre un vol, coupé alt. de sa. et d'or.”
GermanyKempten Bav, c. 1765
Where the Fur Arms Were Recorded
Kempten
Map of Germany showing where the Fur arms are recorded
The Fur arms were recorded in Kempten Bav, c. 1765.
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.
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
Sovereign of the period
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor
1745–1765
Reigning in Switzerland when the Fur 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 Germany.
Origin & History of the Fur Family in Germany
The family name Fur, often documented in historical records as Fuhr, traces its roots to the German language where the term originally described a person involved in the transport of goods. In the region of Kempten, where family members were firmly established by 1765, the name likely identified individuals who worked as carters or wagoners. These early ancestors played a vital role in the local economy by moving supplies across the difficult terrain of the Allgäu region. Because Kempten served as a significant hub for trade and travel near the Alps, the family name became associated with the essential labor of managing horse-drawn transport. Over generations, this occupational title transitioned into a permanent family name as the descendants settled into the social structure of the town. This history reflects the broader German tradition of naming families after the specific trades that supported their communities during the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Furca
Latin term for a fork, pitchfork, or a forked mountain pass.
This name
FurRefers to a person who lived near a forked mountain pass or worked as a fork maker.
also spelled
For
Fer
Fur
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt, Bürgerverzeichnisse und Einwohnerregister
Burckhardt, August, Die Bürger von Basel, 1941
Suter, Andreas, Basel in der Zeit des Ancien Régime, 1985
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
knightChivalry and service in arms
shipEnterprise, and a great voyage undertaken
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
knightChivalry and service in arms
shipEnterprise, and a great voyage undertaken
riverThe bounds of a land, and life carried through it
lambGentleness, patience and faith
