A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Abram family of Italy.
Reg. 3825 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'arg. au saut. de gu., auquel manque le bras supérieur à sen.; acc. en chef d'un dextrochère, paré de gu., mouv. de l'endroit dextre du chef et se dirigeant vers sen., la main de carn. tenant une épée d'arg., garnie d'or, en barre.”
DalmatiaDalmatia, c. 1775
Where the Abram Arms Were Recorded
Map of Italy showing where the Abram arms are recorded
The Abram arms were recorded in Dalmatia, c. 1775.
Dalmatia was a string of walled towns along the Adriatic coast, each with its own leading families. Sea trade made them wealthy, and the towns kept lists of the houses entitled to arms.
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 Italy in this period.
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
Sovereign of the period
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
1763–1778
Reigning in Italy when the Abram arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Italy
In the Italian states, coats of arms were often used by noble families to show their status and history. These symbols were passed down through the generations to all legitimate male descendants. Younger branches of a family usually kept the original design but sometimes added small changes to distinguish their specific line from the main branch.
Granting authority
Various local rulers and city governments controlled the use of coats of arms across the different Italian states.
How they got arms
Families often assumed their own arms or received them as official grants from local lords, popes, or city councils.
Where arms were recorded
Arms were recorded in local city archives or private family books rather than in one single national register.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Dalmatia.
Origin & History of the Abram Family in Italy
The family name Abram is rooted in ancient linguistic traditions, serving as a variation of the Hebrew name Abraham, which translates to a father of many. While the name appears in various cultures, the specific lineage of your family is firmly documented in the coastal region of Dalmatia by the year 1775. During this period, Dalmatia was a vibrant crossroads under the influence of the Venetian Republic, where families often adopted surnames based on biblical figures or local patronymics to establish their identity within the community. As inhabitants of this Adriatic region, your ancestors likely lived in a society shaped by maritime trade and the complex cultural exchange between Mediterranean powers. Over time, the name Abram became a stable identifier for these families as they navigated the social and economic shifts of the eighteenth century in what is now modern-day Croatia.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Avram
Hebrew for exalted father
This name
AbramA patronymic surname derived from the biblical name meaning father of many
also spelled
Abramm
Abrame
Abramson
Related arms
Abraham de l'Hôtellerievariant spelling
Abrahamvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Fališevac, Dunja, Dubrovnik: A Literary City, 2014
Fine, John V.A., When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans: A Study of Identity in Pre-Nationalist Croatia, Dalmatia, and Slavonia in the Medieval and Early-Modern Periods, 2006
State Archives in Zadar (Državni arhiv u Zadru), Fond: Obiteljski arhiv (Family Archive), 1775
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
