A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bonfanti family of Italy.
Reg. 6661 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
Colours
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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: au 1 de sin. à un arbre arr. d'arg., fruité d'or; au 2 barré d'azur et d'arg.”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Bonfanti Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Bonfanti arms are recorded
The Bonfanti 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 Bonfanti 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 Bonfanti Family in Italy
The surname Bonfanti finds its roots in the linguistic traditions of Northern Italy, where it emerged as a descriptive name combining the Italian words "buono," meaning good, and "fante," meaning infantryman or servant. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name were likely recognized for their reliable service or their role as foot soldiers in regional conflicts. By the late 18th century, the family had established a notable presence in the Republic of Venice. Records from 1775 confirm that members of the Bonfanti family were active within the city, participating in the vibrant social and commercial life of the Venetian lagoon during the final decades of the Republic. As the family integrated into the urban fabric of Venice, they transitioned from their military or service-oriented origins to become part of the complex social hierarchy of one of Europe’s most influential maritime powers.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bonus Infans
Latin for good child or good infant.
This name
BonfantiA surname originating from a nickname for a well-behaved or virtuous child.
also spelled
Bonfanty
Related arms
Hubrechtsimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
De Felice, Emidio, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani, 1978
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafi di popolazione della città di Venezia, 1775
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treeLife, endurance and deep roots
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
