Map of Switzerland showing where the Waltz arms are recorded
The Waltz arms were recorded in Bâle, 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 Waltz Family in Switzerland
The family name Waltz has deep roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly within the area surrounding the city of Bâle. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the family was well-established in this region, as evidenced by records confirming their presence in Bâle by 1745. The name itself is likely derived from the Middle High German word "walzen," which means to roll or to dance. This suggests that the name may have originally functioned as a descriptive nickname for a person who was known for their lively movements or perhaps for a professional dancer. As the family grew, they became integrated into the local culture of the Swiss and German borderlands, where they contributed to the social and economic life of their communities for generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Walther
Derived from Germanic elements meaning ruler of the army.
This name
WaltzA topographic or occupational name referring to someone who lived near a forest or was a woodcutter.
also spelled
Wals
Walts
Waltz
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt, Bürgerverzeichnisse der Stadt Basel
Staatsarchiv Basel-Stadt, Kirchenbücher der Stadt Basel
Bahlow, Hans, Deutsches Namenlexikon: Familien- und Vornamen nach Ursprung und Sinn erklärt, 1967
Gottschald, Max, Deutsche Namenkunde: Unsere Familiennamen, 1971
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roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
