A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Fava family of Italy.
Reg. 8017 · Italian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
Colours
Green (Vert)Means: Hope
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
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)
“de sin. et d'arg. de six pièces; au chef d'or, ch. d'un lévrier courant d'arg., coll. de gu.”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Fava Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Fava arms are recorded
The Fava 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 Fava 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 Fava Family in Italy
The surname Fava has deep roots in the Italian peninsula, particularly within the northern regions where the family established a presence long before the eighteenth century. The name itself is derived from the Italian word for the fava bean, which was a common agricultural staple in the Mediterranean diet. In the context of early Venetian society, families bearing this name were often associated with trade, artisanal guilds, or local land management. By the time the family was documented in Venice in 1775, they were part of a vibrant urban culture defined by maritime commerce and complex social hierarchies. During this period, the Fava family lived in a city that served as a major crossroads for European politics and art, allowing them to participate in the unique civic life of the Venetian Republic. Their presence in city records suggests they were integrated into the local community, contributing to the daily operations and economic stability of the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
faba
A Latin term referring to the broad bean or fava bean.
This name
FavaAn occupational name for a grower or seller of beans.
also spelled
Favas
Fave
Favae
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Emidio De Felice, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani, 1978
Girolamo Alessandro Cappellari Vivaro, Il Campidoglio veneto, 1750
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafe di Venezia
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chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
greyhoundCourage, vigilance and loyalty
