DÜRST
Dürst Family Crest (Wappenbuch Glarus)
Dürst II is the commonly used crest
Dürst Family Crest (Wappenbuch Samuel Wild)
Occurrence in Glarus
Braunwald / Diesbach / Ennenda / Glarus / Linthal / Mitlödi / Mühlehorn / Obstalden / Riedern / Sool
About the Dürst Family
Since the 16th century, the Dürst family was always strongly represented in Glarus, but never played politically a bigger role on the canton level. As far as we can see, there was only a Heinrich Dürst who serviced 1688 in the cantonal government as the Protestant Seckelmeister (treasury secretary). The family Dürst contented with municipal functions with emphasis in Linthal, Diesbach and Sool as well as in the parish of Glarus and Kerenzen. Already in 1229, the Dürsts are independently from Glarus also found in Zurich. The family name may have arisen from a surname or nickname (türste synonymous with swashbucking, brave, bold). Place of origin seems to be Linthal, but no genealogical relation can be determined with the families in other Glarner communities. The Diesbacher families were probably originally from Linthal. In the parish of Schwanden, where already in 1523 a Fridolin is mentioned, was the center of the family in Sool, where the Dürsts numerically soon became one of the most powerful family. In the parish of Glarus the Dürsts settled early in all communities. In earlier centuries, the Dürsts of Ennenda were active as table dealers. The Dürsts from Kerenzen were like the ones from Linthal and Diesbach active as farmers and craftsmen.
Interpretation of the Family Crest
Sources
Historisch-Biographisches Lexikon der Schweiz, Band 2, p 758
Stucki Fritz, 50 alte Glarner Familien, p 25
Tschudi-Schümperlin Ida / Winteler Jakob, Wappenbuch des Landes Glarus, p 20