A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Boi family of Italy.
Reg. 3945 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
bullValour and generosity
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
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)
“Parti: au 1 d'arg. à un pal de sin., et un demi-boeuf saillant d'or, accorné et onglé de gu., mouv. du parti et br. sur le pal; au 2 de sin. au lion d'arg., arm. et lamp. de gu.”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Boi Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Boi arms are recorded
The Boi arms were recorded in Italy, c. 1775.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Venice.
Venice ran on trade, and its great families were merchants before they were anything else. The city kept a formal list of its noble houses, and a name on that list carried arms as a matter of record.
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 Boi 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 Boi Family in Italy
The family name Boi has deep roots in the historical landscape of Northern Italy, with documented evidence placing members of the family in Venice by 1775. During this period, Venice was a bustling center of trade and culture, and families like the Boi were often integrated into the city’s complex social and professional networks. The name itself is thought to be linked to regional linguistic variations, potentially originating from local dialects that identified individuals by their specific trade, geographic origin, or a distinct personal trait. As the family established itself in the Venetian Republic, they likely participated in the maritime and mercantile activities that defined the city’s economy. Over generations, the Boi family became part of the fabric of Venetian life, navigating the political shifts and social changes that occurred as the region moved through the late eighteenth century and into the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bos
Latin term referring to an ox or a head of cattle.
This name
BoiA nickname for a person with the strength or temperament of an ox.
also spelled
Boy
Boie
Boii
Related arms
Boyvariant spelling
Boyevariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafe di Venezia, Sezione XVIII
Tassini, Giuseppe, Curiosità veneziane ovvero origini delle denominazioni stradali di Venezia, 1863
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
bullValour and generosity
lionCourage, strength and royalty
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
bullValour and generosity
lionCourage, strength and royalty
