A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Arco family of Italy.
Reg. 5010 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bowReadiness, and the strength held in reserve
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de gu. à un arc d'or, posé en pal; aux 2 et 3 d'or au demi-vol de sa. Cq. cour. C.: l'arc, entre un vol de sa. L. d'or, de gu. et de sa.”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Arco Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Arco arms are recorded
The Arco arms were recorded in Italy, c. 1775.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Venice.
Venice ran on trade, and its great families were merchants before they were anything else. The city kept a formal list of its noble houses, and a name on that list carried arms as a matter of record.
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 Arco 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 Italy.
Origin & History of the Arco Family in Italy
The family name Arco is deeply rooted in the history of Northern Italy, with strong ties to the region surrounding the town of Arco near Lake Garda. While the name is famously associated with the noble counts who held power in the Trentino area for centuries, branches of the family eventually spread to major urban centers like Venice. By 1775, records confirm that members of the Arco family were well-established within the Venetian social and political landscape. During this era, the family navigated the complex world of Venetian trade and administration, often serving as influential figures in the city’s bustling maritime economy. Their presence in Venice highlights how the family evolved from their origins as regional landowners into a group that participated in the sophisticated urban life of the late eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Arcus
A Latin term referring to a bow, arch, or curved structure.
This name
ArcoA topographic name for someone who lived near an archway or a prominent arched bridge.
also spelled
Arcoe
Arcoo
Arc
Arko
Related arms
Nigrisimilar arms
Arcvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Gorfer, Aldo. I Castelli del Trentino. 1967
Sartori, Antonio. Documenti per la storia dell'arte a Padova. 1976
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Senato, Dispacci Rettori
Archivio di Stato di Trento, Sezione di Arco, Archivio dei Conti d'Arco
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bowReadiness, and the strength held in reserve
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
bowReadiness, and the strength held in reserve
wingSwiftness, and protection under a raised wing
