A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Brito family of Spain.
Reg. 4141 · Spanish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. à neuf los. d'arg., accolées, aboutées et touchant les bords de l'écu, 3, 3 et 3, chaque losange ch. d'un lion du premier.”
CastileCastile, c. 1722
Where the Brito Arms Were Recorded
Castile
Map of Spain showing where the Brito arms are recorded
The Brito arms were recorded in Castile, c. 1722.
Castile was the heart of Spain and the source of most of its noble families. Land won in the long wars against the Moors was granted out to fighting men, and a man granted land was granted arms along with it.
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 Spain in this period.
Philip V of Spain
Sovereign of the period
Philip V of Spain
1714–1724
Reigning in Spain when the Brito arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Spain
In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.
Granting authority
The Cronista Rey de Armas was the official body that regulated and granted coats of arms throughout Spain.
How they got arms
Families often obtained their arms through royal grants or by proving their noble status to the official heraldic authority.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the registers of the Cronista Rey de Armas starting in 1496.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Castile.
Origin & History of the Brito Family in Spain
The surname Brito is deeply rooted in the history of the Iberian Peninsula, originating as a geographic identifier for people who hailed from Brittany or those who had strong cultural ties to that region. By the early eighteenth century, the family had firmly established itself within the Kingdom of Castile, a central power in the development of modern Spain. Records from 1722 confirm that members of the Brito family were active participants in the social and administrative life of the Castilian heartland during this era. As the family settled into these Spanish territories, they integrated into the local economy and community structures that defined life under the Bourbon monarchy. This transition from their ancestral origins to the vibrant landscape of Castile highlights the mobility of families during the eighteenth century as they sought new opportunities across changing borders.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Britto
Derived from the Celtic tribe known as the Britons.
This name
BritoA habitational surname referring to someone originating from Brittany or of British descent.
also spelled
Bryto
Britto
Bree-to
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Moll, Francesc de Borja. Els llinatges catalans: Catalunya, País Valencià, Illes Balears. 1959
Pescador del Hoyo, María del Carmen. Archivo de la Real Chancillería de Valladolid: Sección de Hidalguía. 1970
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lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
