Map of Switzerland showing where the Roulette arms are recorded
The Roulette arms were recorded in Neufchâtel, 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 Roulette Family in Switzerland
The surname Roulette originates from the French-speaking regions of Europe, with deep roots tied to the historic landscape of Neufchâtel. By 1745, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in this area, which was then a principality with strong cultural ties to both Switzerland and France. The name itself is likely derived from a descriptive term, potentially referring to a person who lived near a small wheel or a mill, or perhaps someone who worked in a trade involving rolling mechanisms. During the mid-18th century, families in this region often moved between neighboring territories for work in watchmaking or agriculture. This mobility helped spread the name across the Jura Mountains and into surrounding districts. As the family grew, they became part of the local social fabric, contributing to the development of the communities where they resided.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Rota
Latin term for a wheel or circular object.
This name
RouletteA topographic name for someone living near a water wheel or a maker of wheels.
also spelled
Roule
Roolay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archives de l'État de Neuchâtel, Registres paroissiaux de Neuchâtel (1745)
Godet, Philippe, Histoire littéraire et sociale de la Suisse romande, 1890
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
