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)“D'arg. à la bande d'azur, acc. de deux fleurs-de-lis du même.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Catano family of Italy.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à la bande d'azur, acc. de deux fleurs-de-lis du même.”

The Catano arms were recorded in Venice, c. 1775.
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.
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 Catano family name has deep roots in the vibrant maritime culture of Venice, where records confirm their presence by the year 1775. During this era, Venice served as a major hub for trade and craftsmanship, and families like the Catanos often integrated themselves into the city’s complex social and economic fabric. The name itself is thought to be a variation of regional surnames linked to specific geographic locations or ancestral nicknames common in Northern Italy. By the late 18th century, members of the family were likely involved in the bustling mercantile activities that defined Venetian life, navigating the transition between the fading glory of the Republic and the changing political landscape of Europe. Their documented residence in Venice suggests they were part of the stable urban population that helped maintain the city’s reputation as a center for art, commerce, and international exchange.
Derived from the Latin term for a chain or link.
