A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Catty family of Austria.
Reg. 3048 · Austrian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
swordJustice, and military honour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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 coupé de sa. sur arg., à deux C (des manuscrits antiques), celui en chef d'arg. et celui en p. d'azur; au 2 de gu. à une épée d'arg., garnie d'or, accostée de deux étoiles du même. Cq. cour. C.: une épée d'arg., garnie d'or; entre un vol coupé, à dextre de sa. sur arg., à sen. d'or sur gu. L. conformes aux émaux du vol. S.: à dextre un lion ailé d'or, lamp. de gu.; à sen. un griffon d'or, lamp. de gu.”
Austriac. 1862
Where the Catty Arms Were Recorded
Tyrol
Map of Austria showing where the Catty arms are recorded
The Catty arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1862.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried arms.
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.
Region
Tyrol
First recorded
1862
Granting Authority for the Catty Arms
Imperial and Royal chancery
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0
The body that granted and recorded arms in Austria in this period.
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Sovereign of the period
Franz Joseph I of Austria
1848–1916
Reigning in Austria when the Catty arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Austria
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
Granting authority
The Imperial and Royal chancery managed all heraldic matters and controlled the official granting of arms throughout the Austrian lands.
How they got arms
Families typically received their arms through a formal imperial decree that often accompanied the elevation of a person to noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Official records of these grants were kept in the Imperial Register of Nobility which began its formal documentation process in 1453.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Austria.
Origin & History of the Catty Family in Austria
The family name Catty traces its roots to the rugged landscapes of the Tyrol region, where early records confirm the family was established by 1862. This area, nestled within the Eastern Alps, served as a vital crossroads for trade and cultural exchange between Germanic and Italian populations. Given the geographic location, the name likely emerged from local linguistic traditions or as a descriptive identifier for families living in specific mountain settlements. Life in the nineteenth-century Tyrol was defined by agricultural traditions and the seasonal movement of livestock, which shaped the daily routines of the people living there. As the family became part of the regional fabric, they contributed to the unique social history of this mountainous territory during a period of significant political change in Central Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cattus
Latin term referring to a cat or a cunning person.
This name
CattyA descriptive surname likely denoting a person with cat-like agility or a sly personality.
also spelled
Catti
Caty
Katy
Related arms
Cattivariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Tiroler Landesarchiv, Standesausweise und Meldeunterlagen
swordJustice, and military honour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
swordJustice, and military honour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
