A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Gatta family of Italy.
Reg. 6904 · Italian, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
lionCourage, strength and royalty
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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 une chatte pass. d'arg., la tête posée de front, acc. en chef d'un lambel de gu.”
SicilySicily, c. 1775
Where the Gatta Arms Were Recorded
Sicily
Map of Italy showing where the Gatta arms are recorded
The Gatta arms were recorded in Sicily, c. 1775.
Sicily was ruled in turn by Normans, Germans, French and Spanish, and each left landed families behind. The island kept formal lists of its noble houses, which is why so many Sicilian names carry recorded 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 Italy in this period.
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
Sovereign of the period
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
1763–1778
Reigning in Italy when the Gatta 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 Sicily.
Origin & History of the Gatta Family in Italy
The surname Gatta has deep roots in the Mediterranean, with historical records confirming the family’s presence in Sicily by the year 1775. The name is derived from the Italian word for cat, which likely began as a descriptive nickname for an ancestor known for their agility, quiet nature, or sharp observation skills. During the eighteenth century, families in Sicily often lived in tight-knit agricultural communities where such descriptive names helped distinguish between different households in the same village. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the island, participating in the local traditions and labor systems that defined rural life under the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Because the name is tied to a common noun, it reflects a time when surnames were evolving from simple identifiers into permanent family markers passed down through generations.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cattus
Latin term for a cat or a feline animal.
This name
GattaAn occupational or descriptive nickname for someone perceived to be cat-like or agile.
also spelled
Gata
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
De Felice, Emidio. Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. 1978
Archivio di Stato di Palermo, Stato Civile della Restaurazione
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labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
lionCourage, strength and royalty
labelThe eldest son, during his father's life
lionCourage, strength and royalty
