Map of Italy showing where the Bisceglia arms are recorded
The Bisceglia 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 Bisceglia 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 Bisceglia Family in Italy
The family name Bisceglia originates from the Italian city of Bisceglie, located in the Apulia region along the Adriatic coast. During the late 18th century, members of the family established a notable presence across the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia. This migration was common for families living in coastal Italian towns, as trade routes and maritime connections linked the two shores for centuries. By 1775, records indicate that the family had integrated into the social and economic life of Dalmatian port cities. They likely moved to these areas to participate in the active merchant networks that connected the Italian peninsula with the Balkan territories under the influence of the Venetian Republic. This movement highlights the family’s historical role as part of a mobile population that helped bridge the cultural and commercial gaps between Italy and the eastern Adriatic.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bisceglie
A geographical location in the Apulia region of Italy.
This name
BiscegliaRefers to a person who originated from the town of Bisceglie.
also spelled
Basegla
Bazelya
Baseelya
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Braudel, Fernand, La Méditerranée et le monde méditerranéen à l'époque de Philippe II, 1949
Rismondo, Paolo, Povijest dalmatinskih obitelji, 1982
State Archives in Zadar, Statuta et leges civitatis Jadrae, 1775
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cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
cockCourage, vigilance and readiness for battle
