A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gritz family of Switzerland.
Reg. 0759 · Swiss, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
Colours
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De sin. à trois épis feuillés d'or, posés sur les trois coupeaux d'un tertre de gu. C.: un épi feuillé d'or, posé sur un tertre de trois coupeaux de gu. L. d'or et de sin.”
SwitzerlandSoleure, c. 1745
Where the Gritz Arms Were Recorded
Soleure
Map of Switzerland showing where the Gritz arms are recorded
The Gritz arms were recorded in Soleure, 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 Gritz Family in Switzerland
The family name Gritz has deep roots in the Swiss canton of Solothurn, where records confirm members of the family were established by 1745. During the eighteenth century, Solothurn was a center of political and religious activity, and families like the Gritz were often integrated into the local agricultural or trade-based economy. The name itself is thought to be linked to regional dialects, potentially describing a person’s occupation or a specific physical trait common among early ancestors in the German-speaking regions of Switzerland. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the city, contributing to the local community through their work and civic participation. By tracing their presence back to this era, we can see that the Gritz family was firmly settled in the heart of the Swiss Jura region long before the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Grit
A diminutive form of the Germanic name Margaret meaning pearl.
This name
GritzA Swiss-German surname derived from a nickname for a person named Margaret.
also spelled
Grytz
Grits
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Solothurn, Bürgerrodel der Stadt Solothurn, 1745
Zimmermann, Hans, Die Solothurner Familiennamen, 1968
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
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
