A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Honegger family of Switzerland.
Reg. 1612 · Swiss, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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.: aux 1 et 4 de gu. à un buste de femme, hab. d'or, ayant tressé dans les cheveux de chaque côté une grappe de raisins d'or, pamprée de sin.; au 2 coupé: a. d'azur à un croiss. figuré versé d'or en chef et deux étoiles du même en p.; b. fascé de gu. et d'arg. de quatre pièces; au 3 coupé: a. fascé de gu. et d'arg. de quatre pièces; b. d'azur à un croiss. figuré versé d'or en chef et deux étoiles du même en p. C.: le buste du 1. L.: à dextre d'or et de gu., à sen. de gu. et d'azur.”
Switzerlandc. 1745
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Map of Switzerland showing where the Honegger arms are recorded
The Honegger arms were recorded in Switzerland, 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 Honegger Family in Switzerland
The surname Honegger originates from the German-speaking regions of Switzerland and is classified as a topographic name. It is derived from the Middle High German words "Hone," meaning a high or elevated place, and "Egger," which refers to someone who works a field or a corner of land. This suggests that the earliest ancestors of the family were likely farmers who lived on or near a hillside or a prominent ridge. By 1745, records confirm that the Honegger family was well-established in the canton of Bern. During this period, families in the region were often deeply tied to the land they cultivated, and their name served as a way to identify their specific homestead within the community. Over several generations, the family became a recognized part of the local social structure in the Swiss countryside.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hone
A Middle High German term referring to a whetstone or hone.
This name
HoneggerAn occupational surname for a person who worked as a sharpener of tools.
also spelled
Honeger
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
Zoder, Rudolf, Familiennamen in Ostfalen, 1968
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Kirchgemeinde Bern, 1745
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
