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 la croix alesée d'or, cant. de quatre roses du même.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Campobasso 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 la croix alesée d'or, cant. de quatre roses du même.”

The Campobasso arms were recorded in Naples, c. 1775.
Naples was the largest city in Italy and the seat of a kingdom. Its noble houses were numerous, and the kingdom kept formal lists of the families entitled to arms, which is why so many appear in the records.
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 name Campobasso is a locative surname, meaning it was originally derived from the place name of the city of Campobasso located in the Molise region of Italy. In the Italian language, the name literally translates to "low field," which describes the geographical setting of the town nestled in the valley between the Sannio and Matese mountains. By the late 18th century, families bearing this name had established a firm presence in the bustling urban environment of Naples. During this period, Naples was a major cultural and economic hub under the Bourbon monarchy, and families migrating from the mountainous interior to the capital often adopted their place of origin as a permanent identifier. This transition from a regional identity to a formal family name helped members of the lineage establish their social and professional standing within the city’s complex administrative and legal records by 1775.
Latin for low field or level ground.