A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Contrino family of Italy.
Reg. 3733 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
cross symbolChristian faith and service
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'or à trois bandes d'azur. Les diverses branches de cette maison portent: 1º D'or à trois bandes d'azur; à l'aigle de sa., br. sur le tout, ch. sur sa poitrine d'une fleur-de-lis d'or. - 2º D'arg. à l'aigle ép. de sa., chaque tête cour. d'or, la poitrine ch. d'un écusson d'or surch. de trois bandes d'azur. - 3º Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'azur à trois fleurs-de-lis d'or; aux 2 et 3 d'or à trois bandes d'azur. - 4º Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'or à la croix pattée et alésée de gu.; aux 2 et 3 d'or à trois bandes d'azur. - 5º D'or à trois bandes d'azur, encloses dans une couronne de feuillage de sin., dont trois feuilles font face aux cantons du chef et à la p. de l'écu. - 6º Ec.: aux 1 et 4 d'or à l'aigle de sa; aux 2 et 3 d'arg. à trois bandes de gu. et un écusson d'azur ch. d'une fleur-de-lis d'or, br. sur les bandes. - 7º D'or à trois bandes d'azur; et un écusson du même, ch. d'une fleur-de-lis d'or, br. sur le tout. - 8º D'or à trois bandes d'azur; et un écusson d'or, br. sur le tout et ch. d'une aigle ép. de sa., chaque tête cour d'or. - 9º Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de gu. au lion d'or, tenant de sa patte dextre une épée et de sa sen. un faisceau de sept flèches (armes de la République des Provinces Unies, concession des Etats-Généraux); aux 2 et 3 d'or à trois bandes d'azur.”
VeniceVenice, c. 1775
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Map of Italy showing where the Contrino arms are recorded
The Contrino 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.
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 Contrino 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 Venice.
Origin & History of the Contrino Family in Italy
The surname Contrino traces its roots to the vibrant cultural landscape of Northern Italy, with documented evidence placing the family in Venice by the year 1775. During the late 18th century, Venice served as a bustling hub of maritime trade and artistic innovation, which likely influenced the family's early development and social standing. The name itself is thought to be a variation of regional naming patterns common in the Veneto area, where surnames often evolved from nicknames or specific geographic identifiers. As residents of a major center of commerce, early members of the Contrino family were positioned at the intersection of Mediterranean shipping routes and European intellectual exchange. This historical presence suggests that the family was part of the urban fabric of a city defined by its unique political independence and its role as a gateway between the East and the West.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Contro
Derived from the Latin contra meaning against or opposite.
This name
ContrinoLikely a topographic name for someone living on the opposite side of a settlement.
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafi di popolazione
Emidio De Felice, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani, 1978
Carla Marcato, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani, 2001
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
cross symbolChristian faith and service
cantonA mark of honour granted by the sovereign
