A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Rued family of Switzerland.
Reg. 3073 · Swiss, P–S
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Fascé d'arg. et d'azur, de huit pièces; au lion de gu., br. sur le tout. C.: une pierre carrée d'azur, couchée, supp. une boule d'or. L. d'arg. et de gu.”
Switzerlandc. 1745
Where the Rued Arms Were Recorded
Bern
Map of Switzerland showing where the Rued arms are recorded
The Rued 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 Rued Family in Switzerland
The Rued family name has deep roots in the Swiss canton of Bern, where records confirm their presence as early as 1745. During the eighteenth century, Bern was a powerful city-state governed by a strict social hierarchy, and families like the Rueds were often integrated into the local agricultural or artisan communities that sustained the region. The name itself likely evolved from regional dialects, possibly serving as a descriptive term for ancestors who lived near specific landmarks or worked in particular trades common to the Bernese countryside. Life in mid-eighteenth-century Bern was defined by strong community ties and local traditions, and the Rued family would have been part of this stable social fabric. By settling in this area, the family became part of a long history of Swiss citizens who helped shape the cultural and economic identity of the Bernese highlands.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Rudolf
Derived from the Germanic elements for fame and wolf.
This name
RuedA Swiss-German patronymic surname indicating a descendant of a famous wolf.
also spelled
Rued
Roodt
Rudt
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Kirchgemeinde Bern (1745)
Dubler, Anne-Marie, Der Kanton Bern im Zeitalter des Ancien Régime (1995)
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
lionCourage, strength and royalty
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
