A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Bozzelli family of Italy.
Reg. 5094 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
bullValour and generosity
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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 au boeuf naiss. d'azur, accorné d'arg., mouv. du coupé et tenant de ses pattes une croix latine de sa.; au 2 d'azur à trois fleurs-de-lis d'or. C.: le boeuf iss. L. d'or et d'azur.”
DalmatiaDalmatia, c. 1775
Where the Bozzelli Arms Were Recorded
Map of Italy showing where the Bozzelli arms are recorded
The Bozzelli arms were recorded in Dalmatia, c. 1775.
Dalmatia was a string of walled towns along the Adriatic coast, each with its own leading families. Sea trade made them wealthy, and the towns kept lists of the houses entitled to arms.
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 Bozzelli 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 Dalmatia.
Origin & History of the Bozzelli Family in Italy
The Bozzelli family name is deeply rooted in the historical landscape of the Adriatic region, with documented evidence placing members of the family in Dalmatia by the year 1775. During this period, Dalmatia was a significant crossroads for trade and cultural exchange between the Italian peninsula and the Balkan territories. Families like the Bozzellis often held roles that required them to navigate these complex maritime networks, serving as merchants, local administrators, or skilled craftsmen in coastal hubs. As the family established itself in these vibrant port cities, they became part of a unique social fabric that blended Mediterranean traditions with regional customs. This early presence in Dalmatia suggests that the ancestors of the Bozzelli line were likely part of the mobile population that moved across the Adriatic Sea to seek new opportunities in the late eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Bozzo
Derived from the Germanic word meaning a blunt or dull object.
This name
BozzelliA diminutive form referring to a small, stout, or thick-set person.
also spelled
Bozelli
Bozzeli
Related arms
Bozellivariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
State Archives in Zadar (Državni arhiv u Zadru), Zbirka matičnih knjiga (Collection of Parish Registers)
State Archives in Split (Državni arhiv u Splitu), Spisi mletačke uprave u Dalmaciji (Records of the Venetian Administration in Dalmatia)
Bratulić, Josip, Povijest dalmatinskih gradova (History of Dalmatian Cities), 1992
Novak, Grga, Prošlost Dalmacije (The Past of Dalmatia), 2004
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
bullValour and generosity
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
cross symbolChristian faith and service
bullValour and generosity
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
