A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Farano family of Italy.
Reg. 6420 · Italian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
saltireResolution, and St Andrew's cross
cross symbolChristian faith and service
Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Tranché d'or sur gu., chaque compartiment ch. d'un F antique de sa. - Ou: D'arg. au saut. potencé de sin., cant. de quatre croix recr. de gu. [Comp. Fauro.]”
VeniceVenice, c. 1775
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Map of Italy showing where the Farano arms are recorded
The Farano 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 Farano 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 Farano Family in Italy
The family name Farano traces its roots to the vibrant maritime landscape of eighteenth-century Italy, with documented evidence placing the family in Venice by 1775. During this era, Venice served as a major hub for international trade and cultural exchange, which likely influenced the family's early professional activities and social standing. The name itself is thought to be linked to the Italian word "faro," meaning lighthouse, suggesting that early ancestors may have been involved in maritime navigation, coastal protection, or living near prominent navigational landmarks along the Adriatic coast. As the family established itself within the Venetian Republic, they became part of a complex urban society defined by its unique geography and long history of commerce. By settling in such a significant city, the early members of the Farano family were positioned at the center of a changing Europe, participating in the daily life and economic growth of one of the world's most famous historic ports.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Faro
Derived from the Latin pharus meaning lighthouse or beacon.
This name
FaranoA topographic surname for someone who lived near a lighthouse or coastal signal tower.
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Cessi, Roberto. Storia della Repubblica di Venezia. 1944
Lane, Frederic C. Venice: A Maritime Republic. 1973
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafi di popolazione
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Registri parrocchiali di Venezia
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