Map of Switzerland showing where the Riedmann arms are recorded
The Riedmann 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 Riedmann Family in Switzerland
The surname Riedmann originates from the Germanic linguistic tradition, combining the word "Ried," which refers to a marsh or reed-covered land, with "Mann," meaning man. This suggests that the earliest ancestors likely lived near wetlands or managed agricultural land in low-lying areas. By the mid-eighteenth century, the family had established a documented presence in the city of Bern, Switzerland. During this era, Bern was a powerful city-state where families often identified themselves by their trade or their connection to specific geographic features of the landscape. As the family settled into the urban environment of Bern by 1745, they became part of a society that valued meticulous record-keeping, ensuring that their name was preserved in local civil and religious registers for future generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ried
A clearing, marshy land, or reed-covered area.
This name
RiedmannA person who lived near a marshy clearing or reed-filled terrain.
also spelled
Rietman
Riedmann
Reetman
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Brechenmacher, Josef Karlmann. Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Familiennamen. 1957
Bahlow, Hans. Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt. 1967
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern. Kirchenbücher der Stadt 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.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
heronPatience and quiet watchfulness
