A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gertner family of Switzerland.
Reg. 1886 · Swiss, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
knightChivalry and service in arms
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Parti d'or et de gu.; à un homme, hab. et coiffé d'un bonnet de l'un en l'autre, posé sur un tertre de sin., tenant de sa main dextre levée une faucille de sa. en pal, et de sa sen. abaissée une grappe de raisins au nat. C.: l'homme de l'écu, iss. L. d'or et de gu.”
SwitzerlandBâle, c. 1745
Where the Gertner Arms Were Recorded
Bâle
Map of Switzerland showing where the Gertner arms are recorded
The Gertner 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 Gertner Family in Switzerland
The family name Gertner originates from the German word for a gardener, which was a common occupational surname during the Middle Ages. People often received this name because they worked as professional cultivators of land, orchard keepers, or groundskeepers for local estates. By the mid-18th century, the family established a notable presence in the city of Bâle, which is known today as Basel, Switzerland. During this period, families in the region were often deeply integrated into the local guild systems or agricultural trade networks that defined the city’s economy. Living in Bâle in 1745 suggests that the family was part of a stable, urban community during a time of significant growth for the city. As the name spread across German-speaking regions, it remained a testament to the family's historical connection to the land and the skilled labor required to maintain it.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gärtner
A person who cultivates a garden or works as a gardener.
This name
GertnerAn occupational surname for someone who tended to gardens or worked as a professional horticulturalist.
also spelled
Gertnere
Gertnerr
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
Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt, Bürgerverzeichnisse und Einwohnerregister der Stadt Basel, 1745
Heintze, Albert, Die deutschen Familiennamen: geschichtlich, geographisch, sprachlich, 1903
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
knightChivalry and service in arms
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
knightChivalry and service in arms
