A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Digiovanni family of Italy.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“De sa. à une douve d'arg.”
The Digiovanni 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.
Reigning in Italy when the Digiovanni arms are first recorded.
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 surname DiGiovanni is a patronymic name, which means it was originally formed by adding a prefix to the given name Giovanni, the Italian version of John. By tradition, this name identified a person as the son or descendant of a man named Giovanni. While the name is found throughout Italy, records confirm that families bearing this name were established in Venice by 1775. During this period, Venice was a major center for trade and craftsmanship, and families like the DiGiovannis often played active roles in the city's vibrant merchant class or skilled guilds. Because the name is rooted in a common given name, it likely emerged independently in different regions as families sought to distinguish themselves in official records and local communities. Over time, the name became a permanent family identifier that was passed down through generations, reflecting the deep cultural importance of the name Giovanni in Italian history.
Hebrew origin meaning Yahweh is gracious.
