A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gschwend family of Switzerland.
Reg. 5197 · Swiss, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
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 ours naiss. au nat., coll. et enchaîné du premier. Cq. cour. C.: l'ours iss. [Comp. Ottenfels dit Gschwind.]”
SwitzerlandBâle, c. 1745
Where the Gschwend Arms Were Recorded
Bâle
Map of Switzerland showing where the Gschwend arms are recorded
The Gschwend 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 Gschwend Family in Switzerland
The name Gschwend originates from the German-speaking regions of the Alps and is classified as a topographic surname. It is derived from the Middle High German word "geswende," which refers to a piece of forest land that has been cleared for farming or settlement. Families carrying this name were historically associated with the labor of reclaiming land from dense woods to create pastures or fields. By the middle of the eighteenth century, members of the Gschwend family were well-established in the city of Bâle. Records from 1745 confirm their presence in this urban center, suggesting that the family had transitioned from their rural roots in the mountains to participate in the growing trade and civic life of the Swiss city. This movement reflects a broader trend of families relocating from agricultural areas to centers of commerce during the Enlightenment era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
geschwende
A clearing in a forest created by burning or cutting trees.
This name
GschwendRefers to a person who lived at or worked on a cleared piece of land.
also spelled
Gschwindt
Gschwend
Schwind
Gshwind
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, 1745
Zoder, Rudolf, Familiennamen in Ostfalen, 1968
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bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
bearStrength, cunning and protection of kin
