A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Calatrava family of Spain.
Reg. 9932 · Spanish, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
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)
“Coupé: au 1 parti: a. tranché, de gu. à trois tours d'or, 2 et 1, sur or à un arbre terrassé de sin.; à la bande d'or, engoulée de deux têtes de dragon de sin., languées de gu., br. sur le tranché; b. de sin. à une croix de Calatrava de gu., et une bord. du dernier, ch. de huit flanchis d'or; au 2 parti, d'azur à deux étoiles (8) d'arg., l'une sur l'autre, accostées de six bes. du même, rangés en deux pals, le tout acc. en chef d'un annelet d'arg.; et d'azur à deux chaudières fascées d'or et de sa., l'une sur l'autre, avec des têtes de serpent de sin., issantes de chaque côté des chaudières; ce parti entouré d'une bord. comp. de dix-huit pièces, neuf compons de gu. ch. d'une tour d'or, et neuf compons d'arg. ch. d'un lion de gu.”
CastileCastile, c. 1722
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Map of Spain showing where the Calatrava arms are recorded
The Calatrava 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 Calatrava 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 Calatrava Family in Spain
The surname Calatrava is deeply connected to the history of the Iberian Peninsula, specifically within the region of Castile. While the name is famously associated with the medieval Military Order of Calatrava, which was founded in the twelfth century to defend the borderlands against invasion, families bearing this name often adopted it to signify their service or residence near the order’s stronghold. By the early eighteenth century, records confirm that members of the Calatrava family were firmly established in the social and administrative fabric of Castile. These individuals were often involved in local governance and land management, reflecting the transition of the name from a military designation to a hereditary family identifier. As the family expanded throughout the Spanish heartland, they maintained a presence in the region that allowed them to participate in the evolving political landscape of the 1700s.
Calatrava Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Qal'at Rabah
Arabic for fortress of Rabah.
This name
CalatravaRefers to the historic Spanish town and military order associated with the fortress.
also spelled
Calatrav
Calatravah
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
treeLife, endurance and deep roots
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
ringFidelity, and a promise kept
cupFaith, office, and a trust discharged
