A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Falce family of Italy.
Reg. 1198 · Italian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
swordJustice, and military honour
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à deux fers de faux affr. d'arg., posés en pals, les pointes en haut.”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Falce Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Falce arms are recorded
The Falce 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.
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
Sovereign of the period
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
1763–1778
Reigning in Italy when the Falce 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 Italy.
Origin & History of the Falce Family in Italy
The family name Falce is deeply rooted in the vibrant history of Northern Italy, with documented records confirming their presence in Venice by 1775. The name itself is derived from the Italian word for scythe or sickle, which suggests that the earliest ancestors were likely skilled agricultural workers or metal smiths who crafted tools for the harvest. During the late 18th century, Venice was a bustling center of trade and craftsmanship, and families like the Falces often played vital roles in the city’s complex guild systems. As the family established itself within the Venetian social fabric, they became part of the unique urban culture that defined the Republic of Venice during its final years of independence. By living and working in such a prominent maritime power, these early family members were witnesses to a period of great transition as the city moved from the height of its mercantile influence toward the modern era.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
falx
A curved blade or sickle used for cutting or reaping.
This name
FalceAn occupational name for a sickle maker or a person who worked with a scythe.
also spelled
Fals
Falsse
Falsay
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafe di Venezia, Sezione Sestiere di San Marco
Tassini, Giuseppe, Curiosità veneziane ovvero origini delle denominazioni stradali di Venezia, 1863
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paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
swordJustice, and military honour
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
swordJustice, and military honour
