A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Caraccioli family of Italy.
Reg. 8846 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
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)
“D'azur à trois bandes d'arg., au chef d'azur.”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Caraccioli Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Caraccioli arms are recorded
The Caraccioli 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.
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 Caraccioli 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 Italy.
Origin & History of the Caraccioli Family in Italy
The Caraccioli family name holds a significant place in Italian history, with deep roots that stretch back to the medieval period in the southern regions of the peninsula. While the family gained prominence in Naples as influential nobles and advisors to royalty, their reach extended across various Italian city-states over the centuries. By 1775, records confirm that members of the family were well-established in Venice, a city known for its complex trade networks and political intrigue. During this era, the Caraccioli family was deeply involved in the diplomatic and social life of the Venetian Republic. Their presence in such a vital center of commerce suggests that they were highly mobile and well-connected individuals who navigated the shifting power structures of eighteenth-century Italy with great skill.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Caraccio
A diminutive form derived from the Italian word for dear or beloved.
This name
CaraccioliA patronymic or descriptive surname indicating a descendant of someone affectionately called dear or beloved.
also spelled
Caraccioly
Karachioli
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Croce, Benedetto, I Caracciolo di Napoli, 1933
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Senato, Dispacci ambasciatori, 1775
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bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
