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'or à une tête et col d'âne (de sa.”
A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cordo family of Italy.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'or à une tête et col d'âne (de sa.”
The Cordo 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.
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 family name Cordo has deep roots tied to the vibrant culture of eighteenth-century Venice. By 1775, members of the family were well-established residents of this famous city, which served as a major hub for trade and artistic innovation. During this era, Venice was a center for maritime commerce and complex social structures, and families like the Cordos often played roles in the city’s bustling merchant class or local administrative life. The name itself likely evolved from regional dialects common in the Veneto area, reflecting the linguistic shifts that occurred as the city interacted with travelers from across the Mediterranean. As residents of a city built on canals and international exchange, the early Cordo family members were part of a unique urban environment that valued both tradition and the constant flow of new ideas.
Latin term for a string, cord, or rope.
