Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Gu. a saltire embattled betw. four crescents ar”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Baranello family of England.
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Gu. a saltire embattled betw. four crescents ar”

The Baranello arms were recorded in Norfolk, c. 1620.
Norfolk grew rich on wool and grain, and its wealth was spread among many middling families rather than a few great ones. Households of that kind bought land and took arms, and the county holds a large share of English names.
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.
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
The family name Baranello is deeply rooted in the geography of southern Italy, specifically within the Molise region where the town of Baranello serves as the ancestral seat. While the name is synonymous with this Italian landscape, historical records confirm that members of the family had established a presence in Norfolk, England, as early as 1620. This suggests that early ancestors were likely part of the complex migration patterns that defined the seventeenth century, as individuals moved across Europe for trade, religious freedom, or new economic opportunities. By settling in Norfolk, these early family members integrated into the local English community while maintaining the unique identity tied to their Mediterranean origins. This blend of Italian heritage and early English residency highlights the family’s long history of mobility and adaptation in a changing world.
A place name derived from the Latin word for a ram.
