A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bisanti family of Italy.
Reg. 0516 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé, d'azur au lion léopardé d'arg, sur un bandé d'or et d'azur; à la fasce d'or, br. sur le coupé. C.: un lion iss. d'arg. L.: à dextre d'or et d'azur, à sen. d'arg. et d'azur.”
DalmatiaDalmatia, c. 1775
Where the Bisanti Arms Were Recorded
Map of Italy showing where the Bisanti arms are recorded
The Bisanti 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 Bisanti 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 Bisanti Family in Italy
The Bisanti family name has deep roots in the coastal regions of the Adriatic Sea, with documented evidence placing the family in Dalmatia by the year 1775. During this period, Dalmatia was a vibrant crossroads of culture where Italian, Slavic, and Mediterranean influences blended together. Families like the Bisantis often served as vital links in the maritime trade networks that connected the ports of the Balkan Peninsula to the wider world. Given the geographic location of their early presence, it is likely that the family was involved in the merchant activities or administrative roles that defined life in the bustling coastal towns of the eighteenth century. As they navigated the shifting political landscape of the Adriatic, the Bisantis maintained a presence in these historic territories, contributing to the unique social fabric of the region long before the modern borders of Europe were established.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bisantius
Derived from the Latinized form of the Greek name Byzantios.
This name
BisantiRefers to a person originating from the ancient city of Byzantium.
also spelled
Bisanty
Bisante
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Fališevac, Dunja. Dubrovnik: A City-State in the Mediterranean. 2014
State Archives in Zadar (Državni arhiv u Zadru), Zbirka matičnih knjiga (Collection of Parish Registers), 1775
Fine, John V.A. When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans: A Study of Identity in Pre-Nationalist Croatia, Dalmatia, and Slavonia in the Medieval and Early-Modern Periods. 2006
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
lionCourage, strength and royalty
