A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Arico family of Italy.
Reg. 8502 · 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
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Map of Italy showing where the Arico arms are recorded
The Arico 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 Arico 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 Arico Family in Italy
The family name Arico is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of Venice, where records confirm the family’s presence as early as 1775. During the late eighteenth century, Venice was a bustling center of trade and maritime activity, and families like the Aricos were often integrated into the city’s complex social and economic fabric. The name itself is thought to have evolved from regional linguistic patterns common in the Veneto area, potentially linked to early occupational roles or geographic identifiers used to distinguish families in a dense urban environment. As the Republic of Venice began its final years of independence, the Arico family lived through a period of significant political transition. By maintaining a presence in the city during this era, the family became part of the enduring legacy of Venetian citizens who navigated the shifting tides of Mediterranean history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Arricus
A Germanic personal name derived from elements meaning ruler and powerful.
This name
AricoA patronymic or locative surname likely denoting a descendant of Arricus or someone from a place named Arico.
also spelled
Arcoe
Arcoo
Arc
Arko
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafi di Popolazione
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Stato Civile Napoleonico
Cessi, Roberto, Storia della Repubblica di Venezia, 1944
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