Map of Portugal showing where the Cuna arms are recorded
The Cuna arms were recorded in Portugal, c. 1706.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Lisboa.
Lisbon was the seat of the Portuguese crown and the port its wealth came through. Families made rich by trade and by service to the king took arms, and the crown's heralds recorded them there.
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 Portugal in this period.
Peter II of Portugal
Sovereign of the period
Peter II of Portugal
1683–1706
Reigning in Portugal when the Cuna arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Portugal
In Portugal, a coat of arms was a family possession that passed from a father to his children. Every legitimate descendant had the right to use the family shield without needing to change it. Younger branches of the family kept the original design, though they sometimes added small symbols to distinguish their specific line from the main branch.
Granting authority
The Cartório da Nobreza acted as the official body that managed and regulated noble titles and coats of arms in Portugal.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms through bloodline, though they could also receive new grants from the crown for distinguished service.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the books of the Cartório da Nobreza starting in the year 1512.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Portugal.
Origin & History of the Cuna Family in Portugal
The family name Cuna has deep roots in the vibrant urban landscape of early eighteenth-century Lisbon. By 1706, members of the family were firmly established within the city, a time when Lisbon served as the bustling center of the Portuguese Empire. During this period, the city was undergoing significant architectural and social growth, driven by the wealth flowing from colonial trade. Families like the Cunas often participated in the professional and merchant classes that supported this expanding economy. Living in Lisbon during the early 1700s meant being part of a society that valued trade, religious tradition, and close-knit community ties. As the family navigated life in the capital, they contributed to the unique cultural fabric of a city that was rapidly becoming one of the most important hubs in the Atlantic world.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cuneus
Latin term referring to a wedge or a wedge-shaped formation.
This name
CunaRefers to a person who lived near a wedge-shaped piece of land.
also spelled
Cunia
Cunya
Koonyah
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, Registos Paroquiais de Lisboa
França, José-Augusto, Lisboa Pombalina e o Iluminismo, 1965
Subtil, José, Os Desembargadores do Paço (1750-1808), 1996
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
