A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Neuenschwander family of Switzerland.
Reg. 2420 · Swiss, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
Colours
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
What the shield shows
A green background with a silver swan swimming on a wavy blue band near the foot, and two small gold crosses above it.
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“De sin. à un cygne d'arg., nageant sur une fasce ondée d'azur en p. et acc. en chef de deux croisettes d'or. C.: un cygne demembré d'arg.”
SwitzerlandBerne, c. 1745
Where the Neuenschwander Arms Were Recorded
Bern
Map of Switzerland showing where the Neuenschwander arms are recorded
The Neuenschwander arms were recorded in Berne, 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 Neuenschwander Family in Switzerland
PronunciationNOY-en-shvahn-der/ˈnɔʏənʃvandɐ/
The name Neuenschwander is a classic example of a topographical surname, which means it was derived from the physical landscape where the family originally lived. In German, the name translates to "new clearer" or "new settler." It refers to someone who moved into a forested area and cleared the land to create a new farm or homestead. This practice was common in the mountainous regions of Switzerland during the Middle Ages, as families sought out new plots of land to cultivate.
By the time the family was documented in the Bern region in 1745, they were already well-established within the Swiss agricultural society. The Bernese authorities kept detailed records of their citizens, often tracking land ownership and church membership. Because the name implies a history of land clearing, it suggests that the early Neuenschwanders were likely independent farmers or pioneers who helped shape the rural landscape of the Canton of Bern. Over generations, these families became deeply rooted in the local community, maintaining their identity through their connection to the land they worked.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Neuer Schwander
New person who clears forest land for agricultural use.
This name
NeuenschwanderRefers to a family originating from a newly cleared area of woodland or forest.
also spelled
Noyenschwander
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Bach, Adolf. Deutsche Namenkunde. 1952
Bahlow, Hans. Deutsches Namenlexikon. 1967
Sommer, Robert. Familiennamen aus der Schweiz. 1998
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Kirchgemeinde
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Burgerrodel der Stadt Bern
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swanGrace, light and the poet's art
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
swanGrace, light and the poet's art
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion