Explanation of the STREIFF COAT OF ARMS 
 
STREIFF
Originally an old, noble family of the city of Chur, Switzerland they adopted 
the villages of Diesbach, Linthal, Schwanden, Glarus and Mollis in the canton of 
Glarus Switzerland..
 
Coat of Arms:
 
An explanation of a Coat of Arms
 
Helm:
The helmet varies with the bearer's rank or the century.
 
Crest: 
The crest is whatever appears above the helm.(Note: there is not always a crest 
for every coat of arms.)
 
Wreath: 
The wreath usually consists of the primary colour and metal.
 
Mantle:
This is said to represent the clothe that hung from the wreath and protected the 
back of the head and neck, even though it may often be depicted more like the 
leaves of a plant.
 
Shield:
The colours and charges are a part of the blazon. Shield shapes vary according 
to the geographical origin as well as the time period.
 
Supporters:
Two animals, birds or persons appearing on either side of the shield. (Note: 
Supporters may not be used on some coat of arms.)
 
The Streiff Coat of arms as depicted elsewhere on this web page comes from a 
handwritten (in German) chronicle of the Streiff Family line from Abt 1510, 
following my (David R Streiff) great-grandfathers line, unbroken to the present 
day Streiffs. 
It was given to him on his appointment as Swiss Consul in Auckland, New Zealand 
from 1912 to 1916.
The drawing of the crest preludes the introduction, there is no date when it or 
the book was written.
 
I have no information when the Streiff coat of arms first appeared, for whom, or 
by whom.
Although the Streiff seal (Streiff, Joh, Christoph has a date 1739 below it)
and follows closely the Coat of Arms elsewhere on this web pages.
 
Some information, and photos of the crest depict a smaller heart above the 
other.
Some information I have comes from :
 
 WAPPENBUCH DES LANDES GLARUS ( Coat of Arms Book the region of Glarus)
By  Ida Tscudi - Schümperlin
 Dr Jakob Winteler, Landesarchivar
 
 ISBN 3-85546-001-09 
 
The following is a description of the Streiff Coat of Arms
 
 
 
HELM:
Orientation facing to left side of page.
 
CREST:
Two hearts one above the other (do not know what the background depicts or who 
the hearts represent, possibly as per the shield)
According to WAPPENBUCH DES LANDES GLARUS 
In 1304 St. Gallen appears on the crest. ???
 
MANTLE:
Two inward turning fleur de lys
 
SHEILD:
Gold shield with a left to right skew. Two hearts one above the other (some 
pictures and references depict a smaller heart above the other.
The hearts are thought to represent
1. St von Diesbach, Hans Streiff from Graubunden, Captain Swiss Confederation 
League, killed in the Battle of Marignano 1515.
2. Fridolin Streiff December 20th 1658. Ancestor of all Glarus Streiffs.
(Authors footnote if this is indeed correct it would date the appearance of 
the Streiff Family Crest to at least after 1658) 
 
SUPPORTERS: 
None.
 
Footnote: Because of the Streiffs close association with the court of Chur they 
sometimes included the Glarus Crest (as depicted elsewhere on this web page, 
below the Streiff Coat of Arms)
 
The Glarus Crest depicts St. Fridolin
 
Fridolin was an Irish monk, who, according to legend, should have lived at the 
time of the Frankish king Clovis, around 500 AD. Many learned people doubt 
whether Fridolin had really lived. 
According to tradition he (according to an apparition of St. Hilarius) founded 
the cloister, Säckingen on the Rhine.
The land of Glarus belonged to the cloister for a long time through a donation,
this is likely reason why Fridolin became the cantonal patron.
( from a translation by Sue Wolf Swiss Genealogy)