A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Hansler family of Switzerland.
Reg. 4111 · Swiss, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. à la fasce de sa., ch. de trois croix recr. au pied fiché du champ. D.: SAPIENS QUI ASSIDUUS.”
SwitzerlandAngl, c. 1745
Where the Hansler Arms Were Recorded
Bern
Map of Switzerland showing where the Hansler arms are recorded
The Hansler arms were recorded in Angl, c. 1745.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bern.
Bern was the largest of the Swiss cantons and ran itself, with its own council and its own courts. Its governing families held office for generations, and office of that kind carried a shield with it.
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 Hansler Family in Switzerland
The surname Hansler originates from the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, where it functioned as a patronymic name derived from the given name Hans. In the local dialect, the suffix "ler" often indicated a person’s occupation or their specific place of residence. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family had established a documented presence in the city of Bern. Records from 1745 confirm that members of the Hansler family were integrated into the social and civic life of this influential Swiss capital. During this era, families with this name were typically involved in the agricultural or artisanal trades that supported the growing urban economy of the Bernese canton. As the family grew, they became part of the long history of Swiss citizens who navigated the complex political and religious shifts of the eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Johannes
God is gracious
This name
HanslerA diminutive form referring to a descendant or follower of John
also spelled
Hanseler
Hanzler
Related arms
Hänselervariant spelling
Hänsslervariant spelling
Altreuwrecorded with Hansler, same area
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Brechenmacher, Josef Karlmann. Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Familiennamen. 1957
Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz. Familiennamen. 2012
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern. Kirchenbücher der Stadt Bern. 1745
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fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cross symbolChristian faith and service
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
cross symbolChristian faith and service
