To Celebrate all of our blessings and rich Glattfelder Family Heritage
Our Crest
In 1911 the association adopted a family emblem which Samuel Glatfelter had designed. It featured American and Swiss flags, the years 1743 and 1906, a keystone representing Pennsylvania, an American Eagle, and six edelweiss, one for each of Casper's sons.
The original Key To The Glatfelter Emblem states:
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The Edelweiss flower in the Keystone is the national flower of Switzerland and represents (with G in the center) the six original members of the Glatfelter family.
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The Keystone with the S at the top represents the Keystone State (Pennsylvania).
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The G and the S in the Keystone further signify that the Swiss Glatfelter family settled in Pennsylvania in 1743.
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The Swiss flag and the American flag represent the Swiss and American-born element in the Casper Glattfelder family, both of which were held and protected under the watchful care of the American Eagle, until their descendants have spread over the entire continent like the stars in the firmament.
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1906 at the top signifies the year of organization of the Casper Glattfelder Association of America, and the adoption of the Glatfelter Family Emblem.
As you will note, you see no "G", or "S" in this emblem. This revised emblem was adopted in 1987.
Our Crest and Coat of Arms
The left-most (or top) version of the Glattfelder Coat of Arms is the version that the US family uses, and merchandise bearing the coat of arms is available. The center version is from ancestors living in Germany. The right-most (or bottom) version is the version our Swiss cousins use.
The Glattfelders are a very ancient lineage whose origin is Höri, in the Canton of Zürich, where it is officially documented as early as 1315, and again appeared at a later period in Glattfelden. In the 17th century, it appears also in Widen, Canton Aargau. The descendents also became citizens of the city of Zürich in 1410 through the naturalization of a Hans Glattfelder.
The name derives from the original locality, the village of Glattfelden. It is nowhere documented that an ancestry of the Masters of Glattfelden existed. However, one lineage of the Barons of Tengen, which was the reigning family of Glattfelden, named itself as the “Tengen from Glattfelden."
Explanation of the Coat of Arms of the Glattfelder family:
The crown means that an ancestor was a master goldsmith in Zürich and this is the symbol of this craft.
The sword is justice (law)
The stars mean the light and glamour of the lineage.
The two lilies of the valley and the three mountains have no special meaning.
The main symbol of the coat of arms is the crown, which is referring to the profession.
As you can see, the center version is quite different. It shares the three Stag horns of the Glattfelden Crest.
Family Crest of Glattfelder 1553
Old respected family of Zurich whose progenitor was Jakob Glattfelder who was from Höriward in 1553. A citizen of Zurich in 1612, among twelve shopkeepers.
Coat of arms: In blue 3 transversely laid golden deer horns.
Helmet: adorned with 2 standing deer antlers.
Covers: Blue – Gold
I wish to thank fellow Board Member Phil Glatfelter, our German relative Stefan Däubner, as well as our Swiss cousins Eric Glattfelder, Teddy and Edith Glattfelder for contributing images, documents, and translations!