Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à un dragon ailé d'or; au chef du même, ch. d'une aigle de sa., bq., m. et cour. d'or.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Borgese family of Italy.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'azur à un dragon ailé d'or; au chef du même, ch. d'une aigle de sa., bq., m. et cour. d'or.”

The Borgese arms were recorded in Italy, c. 1693.
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.
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.
The family name Borgese traces its roots to the vibrant cultural landscape of Northern Italy, with significant historical documentation placing the family in Venice by the year 1693. The name itself is believed to be derived from the Italian word "borgo," which refers to a settlement or a small town located just outside the walls of a larger city. Historically, individuals who carried this name were often associated with the merchant class or those who managed properties within these expanding suburban districts. As Venice served as a major hub for international trade and diplomacy during the late seventeenth century, the Borgese family likely benefited from the city's economic prosperity and its unique position as a gateway between Europe and the East. By establishing themselves in this maritime republic, the early members of the family became part of a complex social fabric defined by commerce, navigation, and the arts.
A fortified place or castle.
