A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Ansaldo family of Spain.
lionCourage, strength and royaltyJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur au lion d'or, cour. du même.”
The Ansaldo arms were recorded in Aragon, c. 1722.
Aragon was mountain and river country in north-eastern Spain, with a strong tradition of small independent landholders. A great many families counted as gentry there, and each one needed a shield to be told apart.
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 Spain in this period.
Reigning in Spain when the Ansaldo arms are first recorded.
In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.
The surname Ansaldo traces its linguistic roots to the Germanic name Ansaldus, which combines elements meaning "god" and "ruler." This name became popular across Southern Europe during the Middle Ages as families sought to honor their heritage through traditional naming conventions. By the early 18th century, the family had firmly established itself within the Kingdom of Aragon, a region known for its complex social structure and historical importance in Spanish history. Records from 1722 confirm that members of the Ansaldo family were active participants in the local community during this period. As they navigated the changing political landscape of the Iberian Peninsula, the family likely integrated into the professional or landowning classes common to the Aragonese society of that era. Their presence in official documents from this time suggests that the family was well-settled and played a functional role in the administrative life of the region.
Germanic elements meaning god and ruler or power.
