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)“De gu. à un ours ramp. de sa. [Armes du pape Lucius II, 1144-45.]”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cacciamani family of Italy.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De gu. à un ours ramp. de sa. [Armes du pape Lucius II, 1144-45.]”

The Cacciamani 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.
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 Cacciamani originates from the Italian language and carries a descriptive meaning that likely reflects the occupation or character of its earliest ancestors. The name is a compound word formed from "caccia," meaning to hunt or chase, and "mani," meaning hands. This suggests that the name may have originally identified a skilled hunter, a trapper, or perhaps someone known for their dexterity and manual work. By 1775, records confirm that members of the Cacciamani family were established in Venice, a city defined by its complex network of canals and its role as a major center for trade and diplomacy. During this period, families in Venice often integrated into the city’s vibrant merchant classes or specialized craft guilds. Living in such a dense urban environment required the family to adapt to the unique social and economic structures of the Venetian Republic, where they likely contributed to the city's long history of commerce and maritime influence.
To hunt or chase and hand.
