A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Agnese family of Italy.
Reg. 5912 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
swordJustice, and military honour
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à deux épées d'arg., passées en saut., les pointes en bas; à la bord. denchée de gu. Deux cq., le 1 cour. C.: 1o une hure de sanglier de sa., le boutoir en haut; 2o une tête et col de bouc de sa.”
NaplesNaples, c. 1775
Where the Agnese Arms Were Recorded
Naples
Map of Italy showing where the Agnese arms are recorded
The Agnese arms were recorded in Naples, c. 1775.
Naples was the largest city in Italy and the seat of a kingdom. Its noble houses were numerous, and the kingdom kept formal lists of the families entitled to arms, which is why so many appear in the records.
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 Agnese 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 Naples.
Origin & History of the Agnese Family in Italy
The surname Agnese traces its roots to the ancient Greek name Hagnē, which translates to pure or holy. Over many centuries, this name evolved through Latin as Agnes and eventually became a common family name across the Italian peninsula. By the late 18th century, the Agnese family was firmly established in the vibrant city of Naples. During this period, Naples was a major cultural and political center under the Bourbon monarchy, and families like the Agnese were often integrated into the local urban fabric as merchants, artisans, or professionals. Because Naples was a hub of Mediterranean trade and administration, the family likely benefited from the city’s dense network of parish records and civil documentation, which helped preserve their presence in the region starting around 1775. This history reflects the broader movement of families who settled in major Italian cities to participate in the growing economic opportunities of the Enlightenment era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Hagnos
Ancient Greek word meaning pure, chaste, or holy.
This name
AgneseDerived from the Greek term for purity, signifying a chaste or holy individual.
also spelled
Agneze
Anyese
Agneese
Agnes
Related arms
Kersalaunsimilar arms
Petit (le) de Richebourgsimilar arms
Ruoschsimilar arms
Zoller dit Marschalksimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
De Felice, Emidio. Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. 1978
Archivio di Stato di Napoli, Stato Civile della Restaurazione
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