A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Borsa family of Italy.
Reg. 8592 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'or à l'aigle de sa., cour. du champ; au 2 d'azur à une bourse ou gibecière d'arg., avec ses cordons et houppes du même.”
ItalyMilan, c. 1775
Where the Borsa Arms Were Recorded
Milan
Map of Italy showing where the Borsa arms are recorded
The Borsa arms were recorded in Milan, c. 1775.
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 Borsa 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 Borsa Family in Italy
The surname Borsa has deep roots in the Lombardy region of Northern Italy, with the family firmly established in the city of Milan by the late eighteenth century. The name itself is derived from the Italian word for a purse or a pouch, which suggests that the family’s earliest ancestors may have been merchants, bankers, or skilled leather workers who crafted bags for trade. During the 1700s, Milan was a bustling center of commerce and culture under the influence of the Austrian Habsburg Empire, providing a stable environment for families like the Borsas to grow their influence. As urban residents, they were likely part of the professional or artisan classes that helped shape the city’s economy. By 1775, the family was well-integrated into the social fabric of Milan, living and working within a city that was rapidly modernizing and preparing for the major political shifts that would soon define European history.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
bursa
Latin term for a leather pouch, purse, or hide.
This name
BorsaOccupational name for a maker or seller of purses or leather bags.
also spelled
Borssa
Related arms
Juliersimilar arms
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Canevazzi, Giovanni, Dizionario storico-blasonico delle famiglie nobili e notabili italiane estinte e fiorenti, 1886
State Archives of Milan (Archivio di Stato di Milano), Stato Civile della Restaurazione, 1815–1865
De Felice, Emidio, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani, 1978
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eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
