A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bonatti family of Italy.
Reg. 2927 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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'azur à un arbre terrassé de sin; au 2 d'or à deux pals de gu. Au chef de l'écu d'or, br. sur le parti et ch. d'une aigle de sa.”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Bonatti Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Bonatti arms are recorded
The Bonatti 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 Bonatti 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 Bonatti Family in Italy
The surname Bonatti finds its roots in the linguistic evolution of Northern Italy, originating from the medieval given name Bono, which translates to good. Over time, the suffix "atti" was added to denote a patronymic relationship, effectively identifying the family as the descendants of a man named Bono. By the year 1775, the Bonatti family was well-established within the social and economic fabric of Venice. During this period, Venice served as a major hub for trade and craftsmanship, and families like the Bonattis often integrated into the city’s complex guild systems or maritime commerce. Their presence in the city during the late eighteenth century suggests they were part of the urban middle class that helped sustain the Venetian Republic during its final decades of independence before the arrival of Napoleonic forces.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bonus
Latin term meaning good, virtuous, or kind.
This name
BonattiA patronymic or diminutive form indicating a descendant of a good or virtuous person.
also spelled
Bonatto
Bonatt
Bonattee
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
De Felice, Emidio. Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. 1978
Fucilla, Joseph G. Our Italian Surnames. 1949
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafe di Venezia
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
