A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Forro family of Italy.
Reg. 8435 · Italian, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
lionCourage, strength and royalty
swordJustice, and military honour
Colours
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Black (Sable)Means: Constancy
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé: au 1 parti: a. d'arg. à la croix de sa., ch. d'une étoile d'arg.; b. d'azur au lion d'or, tenant une épée renv. de sa.; au 2 de gu. à une cou-”
Italyc. 1775
Where the Forro Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Forro arms are recorded
The Forro 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 Forro 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 Forro Family in Italy
The family name Forro has roots that trace back to the vibrant cultural landscape of eighteenth-century Venice. By 1775, records indicate that members of the family were established residents within this maritime power, likely participating in the city’s bustling trade and artistic circles. The name itself is thought to be linked to regional linguistic variations found across Northern Italy and the surrounding Adriatic territories. During this era, Venice served as a major crossroads for merchants and travelers, which suggests that the Forro family may have been part of a mobile class of people moving between Italian port cities and the broader Mediterranean region. Their presence in the city during the late 1700s places them in the final decades of the Venetian Republic, a time of significant social change and economic transition that shaped the lives of many prominent local families.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Foro
Derived from the Latin word forum meaning a public square or marketplace.
This name
ForroRefers to an individual who lived near or worked within a public square.
also spelled
Forro
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafe dei cittadini veneziani, 1775
Lane, Frederic C., Venice, A Maritime Republic, 1973
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
lionCourage, strength and royalty
swordJustice, and military honour
cross symbolChristian faith and service
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
lionCourage, strength and royalty
swordJustice, and military honour
