Map of Switzerland showing where the Thurber arms are recorded
The Thurber 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 Thurber Family in Switzerland
The surname Thurber carries a long history that traces back to the German-speaking regions of Europe. Records confirm that members of the family were well-established in the city of Bern by 1745. During this period, the name was often associated with families living in the Swiss cantons, where they worked as skilled tradespeople or landowners. As the family grew, some members began to migrate across borders in search of new opportunities. This movement eventually led to the name spreading into other parts of Europe and across the Atlantic to North America. The name itself is thought to have roots in Old Germanic language patterns, reflecting a time when surnames were first being adopted to identify people by their occupation or their specific place of origin.
Thurber Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Thur
Derived from the Old High German word for door or gate.
This name
ThurberA topographical surname for someone who lived near a prominent gate or mountain pass.
also spelled
Turbert
Turbere
Turbe
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz, 2002
Staatsarchiv des Kantons Bern, Kirchenbücher der Stadt Bern, 1745
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crabSteadfast defence that yields no ground
crabSteadfast defence that yields no ground
