A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gesner family of Switzerland.
Reg. 9677 · Swiss, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
lionCourage, strength and royalty
serpentWisdom, healing and prudence
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
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)
“Ec.: au 1 de gu. à un dauphin d'arg., posé en pal, cour. d'or, courbé à sen.; au 2 d'arg. à l'aigle de gu.; au 3 d'arg. au lion de gu.; au 4 de gu. à une couleuvre ondoyante en pal d'or, la queue remontante à dextre, tenant entre ses dents une bague d'or. Cq. sommé d'une couronne de lierre de sin. C.: un cygne iss. d'arg., le vol étendu, bq. de gu., ch. de neuf étoiles d'or, trois sur la poitrine, 1 et 2, et trois sur chaque aile, rangées en pal, de telle manière que huit des neuf étoiles forment un demi-cercle.”
SwitzerlandZurich, c. 1564
Where the Gesner Arms Were Recorded
Zurich
Map of Switzerland showing where the Gesner arms are recorded
The Gesner arms were recorded in Zurich, c. 1564.
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 Gesner Family in Switzerland
The Gesner family name is deeply rooted in the history of Zurich, Switzerland, where members of the lineage were prominent figures by the mid-sixteenth century. The name itself is thought to be derived from the Middle High German word *gesene*, which refers to a person who is seen or observed, or perhaps a nickname for a person who lived near a specific landmark. By 1564, the family had established a strong reputation in the city, largely due to the work of Conrad Gessner, a world-renowned naturalist and scholar who is often remembered as the father of modern zoology. His extensive research and dedication to documenting the natural world brought significant prestige to the family name during the Renaissance. As the family grew, they became deeply integrated into the academic and civic life of Zurich, helping to shape the intellectual landscape of the region for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Gessner
Derived from the Middle High German word for a mountain pasture.
This name
GesnerRefers to a person who lived on or managed a high alpine meadow.
also spelled
Gessner
Gezner
Gesener
Related arms
Gessnervariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Wellisch, Hans H., Conrad Gessner: A Bio-bibliography, 1984
Leu, Hans Jakob, Allgemeines helvetisches, eidgenössisches, oder schweitzerisches Lexicon, 1747
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich, Zürcher Eheregister (Marriage Registers)
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
lionCourage, strength and royalty
serpentWisdom, healing and prudence
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
lionCourage, strength and royalty
serpentWisdom, healing and prudence
