A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Crispo family of Italy.
Reg. 9208 · Italian, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
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 los. accolées de sa., rangées en fasce, acc. en chef de deux croix recr. du même.”
VeniceVenice, c. 1775
Where the Crispo Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Crispo arms are recorded
The Crispo 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 Crispo 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 Crispo Family in Italy
The surname Crispo finds its roots in the Latin word crispus, which translates to curly or having wavy hair. This descriptive nickname was commonly used in medieval Italy to identify individuals by their physical appearance. By the late eighteenth century, the Crispo family had established a notable presence in Venice. During this period, Venice was a bustling center of trade and culture, and families like the Crispos were often involved in the city’s complex administrative and mercantile networks. As the family navigated life in the Venetian Republic, they became part of the city’s long history of maritime influence and social development. Their presence in 1775 places them in Venice during its final decades as an independent republic, a time when the city was a major destination for European travelers and a hub for artistic and political activity.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Crispus
Latin term meaning curled, curly-haired, or having crisp hair.
This name
CrispoAn Italian surname derived from a nickname for someone with curly or wavy hair.
also spelled
Crispos
Crispoe
Krispo
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), Anagrafico di Venezia, 1775
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
cross symbolChristian faith and service
lozengeHonour and nobility, and the arms of a woman
