A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Como family of Italy.
Reg. 8162 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
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)
“Coupé: au 1 d'azur à un avant-bras, paré d'arg., rebr. de gu., mouv. du flanc sen., la main de carn. empoignant une flèche d'or, arm. et empennée d'arg., posée en barre, la pointe en bas; au 2 d'arg. à deux bandes d'azur, le bord. inférieur vivré.”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Como Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Como arms are recorded
The Como 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 Como 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 Como Family in Italy
The family name Como is deeply rooted in the geography of northern Italy, specifically taking its name from the city of Como located near the Swiss border. Historically, families often adopted the names of their hometowns as surnames to identify their origins when traveling or settling in new regions. By the late eighteenth century, members of the family had established a significant presence in Venice, a city known at the time as a bustling hub of trade and diplomacy. Records confirm that the family was active in Venetian society by 1775, likely drawn to the city by the vast economic opportunities provided by its maritime power. As they integrated into the local culture, the name served as a link to their ancestral home in the Lombardy region while they built new lives within the unique island environment of the Venetian Republic.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Comum
Latin term for a communal or public place.
This name
ComoRefers to an individual originating from the city of Como in Lombardy.
also spelled
Commo
Komo
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
De Felice, Emidio. Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. 1978
State Archives of Venice (Archivio di Stato di Venezia), Anagrafe di popolazione
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
armA person of action, industrious and laborious
