Map of Italy showing where the Caracciolo arms are recorded
The Caracciolo 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 Caracciolo 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 Caracciolo Family in Italy
The Caracciolo family name traces its deep roots to the medieval period in Southern Italy, where it emerged as one of the most prominent noble houses of the Kingdom of Naples. The name itself is thought to be derived from the Greek word karakolos, which refers to a type of snail or a specific style of headgear worn during the Byzantine era. While the family gained significant political and social power in Naples over several centuries, their influence eventually spread across the Italian peninsula. By the late eighteenth century, members of the family were well-established in major urban centers like Venice. During this time, the family was deeply involved in the complex social and diplomatic life of the Venetian Republic, reflecting their long-standing reputation as influential figures in Italian history.
Caracciolo Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Caracciolo
Derived from the Greek word karakolos meaning a type of snail.
This name
CaraccioloA nickname likely referring to a person with a slow or sluggish nature.
also spelled
Caraccioly
Karachioli
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Aldo Mazzacane, Il patriziato napoletano, 1982
Giuseppe Galasso, Napoli nel Settecento, 1990
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafe dei cittadini veneziani
Archivio di Stato di Napoli, Archivio Caracciolo di Brienza
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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
