A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Berardi family of Italy.
Reg. 2093 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à une bande entée d'or sur gu., ladite bande coticée d'arg.”
ItalyFlorence, c. 1775
Where the Berardi Arms Were Recorded
Florence
Map of Italy showing where the Berardi arms are recorded
The Berardi arms were recorded in Florence, c. 1775.
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 Berardi 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 Berardi Family in Italy
The surname Berardi originates from the medieval personal name Berardo, which is rooted in Germanic linguistic traditions meaning brave as a bear. By the time the family established a documented presence in Florence in 1775, the name had already been carried across various Italian regions for centuries. Families bearing this name often rose to prominence through involvement in local trade, craftsmanship, or civic administration within the bustling urban centers of Tuscany. Because the name was derived from a popular given name rather than a specific geographic location, it appeared independently in several different cities, allowing the Berardi lineage to become deeply woven into the social fabric of Italian history long before the late eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Berardus
Derived from the Germanic elements for bear and brave or hardy.
This name
BerardiA patronymic surname indicating descent from a person named Berardo or Bernard.
also spelled
Berardy
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
De Felice, Emidio. Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. 1978
Fucile, Francesco. I cognomi d'Italia: Dizionario storico ed etimologico. 2002
Archivio di Stato di Firenze, Stato Civile della Restaurazione
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
