Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. à une émanche d'une pièce et demie d'arg., mouv. du flanc sen., en bande.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Arp family of Italy.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. à une émanche d'une pièce et demie d'arg., mouv. du flanc sen., en bande.”

The Arp arms were recorded in Venice, c. 1775.
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.
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.
The family name Arp has deep roots that connect to the vibrant culture of northern Italy and the surrounding regions. By the year 1775, records confirm that members of the family were well-established residents of Venice. During this period, Venice was a major center for trade and artistic development, which likely influenced the family’s daily life and professional pursuits. The name itself is thought to be a shortened form of names like Albrecht or Arpad, which were common across various European cultures. As the family lived in a city defined by its canals and maritime power, they were likely involved in the bustling merchant activities that made Venice a gateway between the East and the West. Over time, the family name spread from these Italian origins into other parts of Europe, carrying with it the history of a lineage that thrived during the final years of the Venetian Republic.
Derived from the Germanic word for eagle.
