A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gallina family lines. Documented in 2 countries.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“de gu. Cq. cour C.: un vol à l'antique, aux armes de l'écu.”
The Gallina 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 Gallina 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 Gallina originates from the Italian word for hen, a name that likely began as a descriptive nickname for a person during the Middle Ages. In the context of Northern Italy, such names were often given to individuals based on their personality or their occupation in the agricultural trade. By the late eighteenth century, the Gallina family had established a notable presence in Venice. Historical records confirm that members of the family were active in the city by 1775, a time when Venice was a major center for commerce and culture. During this period, families like the Gallinas were often integrated into the urban fabric of the Venetian Republic, contributing to the city's unique social structure before the fall of the republic in 1797. The name reflects a long history of Italian families who transitioned from rural roots to become part of the vibrant life of major city-states.
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
swordJustice, and military honour
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from aboveJ. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“Coupé: au 1 d'or à l'aigle ép. iss. de sa.; au 2 de gu. à une épée d'arg., garnie d'or, posée en bande, la pointe en bas, acc. de deux étoiles d'or, 1 en chef à sen. et 1 en p. à dextre. Cq. cour. C.: une épée d'arg., garnie d'or, posée en pal, la pointe en bas; entre un vol coupé, à dextre d'or sur sa., à sen. de gu. sur arg. L. conformes aux émaux du vol.”
The Gallina arms were recorded in Austria, c. 1772.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Tyrol.
Tyrol was mountain country in western Austria, where the valleys were held by families who had been there a very long time. Old tenure counted for more than money, and old families carried arms.
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 Austria in this period.
Reigning in Italy when the Gallina arms are first recorded.
Austrian coats of arms were often linked directly to noble titles granted by the Emperor. These symbols belonged to the entire family line rather than just one individual. When a family grew, new branches kept the original design without needing to change it. This system allowed all members of a noble house to share the same identity across many generations.
The family name Gallina has deep roots in the mountainous landscape of the Tyrol region, where records confirm members of the family were living as early as 1772. In the German-speaking regions of the Austrian Empire, the name is derived from the Latin word for a hen, which often served as a descriptive nickname for a person in medieval times. Families with this name were typically integrated into the local agrarian society, living in small alpine communities where they contributed to the regional economy through farming or trade. Because Tyrol served as a vital crossroads between the Italian peninsula and the rest of the Austrian lands, the family likely benefited from the movement of goods and people across the mountain passes. Over time, the Gallina family became a stable part of the local population, leaving behind traces in parish registers and tax documents that help historians understand how families moved and settled in the rugged terrain of the Alps.
Latin term meaning a rooster or a person from Gaul.
