A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Carbonara family of Italy.
Reg. 5870 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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)
“Parti: au 1 d'azur à un besant d'or, ch. d'un lion de gu.; au 2 coupé: a. d'or au griffon naiss. de sa.; b. de gu. à une forteresse sommée de trois tours d'arg., ouv., aj. et maçonnées de sa.”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Carbonara Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Carbonara arms are recorded
The Carbonara 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 Carbonara 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 Carbonara Family in Italy
The family name Carbonara is deeply rooted in the linguistic and social history of Italy. The name is derived from the Italian word "carbone," which means coal. Historically, this suggests that the earliest ancestors of the family were likely involved in the production or trade of charcoal, a vital resource for heating and metalworking in pre-industrial society. By the year 1775, records confirm that members of the Carbonara family were well-established in the city of Venice. During this period, Venice was a bustling center of commerce and culture, and families like the Carbonaras often integrated into the city’s complex network of artisans and merchants. Their presence in such a prominent maritime power indicates that the family was part of the active urban middle class that helped sustain the Venetian economy during the late eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
carbo
Latin term referring to coal or charcoal.
This name
CarbonaraA topographic name for someone who lived near a charcoal burner or worked as one.
also spelled
Carbonare
Carbonari
Carbonarae
Karbonara
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
De Felice, Emidio. Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. 1978
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafe di Venezia, Sezione di San Marco
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
griffinValour and vigilance, guarding great treasure
towerGrandeur and solidity, and a stronghold defended
