A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bercovich family of Italy.
Reg. 0814 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
lionCourage, strength and royalty
bombOne who has faced a great siege
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé: au 1 d'azur à deux étoiles d'or en chef et un croiss. du même en p.; au 2 d'arg. à un lion léopardé d'or, pas. sur une terrasse de sin. et supp. de sa patte dextre une grenade allumée. C.: cinq pl. d'aut.: de gu., d'arg., d'azur, d'arg. et de gu.”
DalmatiaDalmatia, c. 1775
Where the Bercovich Arms Were Recorded
Map of Italy showing where the Bercovich arms are recorded
The Bercovich arms were recorded in Dalmatia, c. 1775.
Dalmatia was a string of walled towns along the Adriatic coast, each with its own leading families. Sea trade made them wealthy, and the towns kept lists of the houses entitled to arms.
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 Bercovich 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 Dalmatia.
Origin & History of the Bercovich Family in Italy
The surname Bercovich is a patronymic name, meaning it was originally formed by adding a suffix to the given name of a father or ancestor. In this case, the name is derived from the name Berko, which is a variation of the name Ber, often associated with the Yiddish word for bear. By the time the family was documented in the Dalmatian region in 1775, the suffix "vich" had been added to signify "son of." During this period, Dalmatia was a vibrant crossroads of trade and culture under the influence of the Venetian Republic and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Families like the Bercovichs often settled in coastal port cities where they participated in the active merchant networks connecting the Mediterranean to the rest of Europe. Because the family lived in this diverse region, they likely navigated multiple languages and customs while maintaining their distinct family identity through their surname.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Ber
Derived from the Germanic word for bear or a shortened personal name.
This name
BercovichA patronymic surname meaning son of the bear or son of Ber.
also spelled
Bercovitch
Bercovych
Berkovich
Related arms
Sabarossimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Kovačec, August. Povijest hrvatskoga jezika: 1. svezak (History of the Croatian Language: Volume 1), 2009
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
lionCourage, strength and royalty
bombOne who has faced a great siege
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
crescentHonour by the sovereign, and the second son
lionCourage, strength and royalty
bombOne who has faced a great siege
