A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grasso family of France.
Reg. 5052 · French, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
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)
“De gu. à une aigle de sa. S.: deux griffons, au nat.”
Francec. 1725
Where the Grasso Arms Were Recorded
Bretagne
Map of France showing where the Grasso arms are recorded
The Grasso arms were recorded in France, c. 1725.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Bretagne.
More families held coats of arms in Bretagne than anywhere else in France. The land was divided into many small estates rather than a few large ones, so far more households counted as gentry, and each needed a shield of its own to be told apart.
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 France in this period.
Louis XV of France
Sovereign of the period
Louis XV of France
1715–1774
Reigning in France when the Grasso arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in France
In France, a coat of arms was a mark of honor that passed down through the male line to all legitimate descendants. Families often used the same shield without changes to show their shared heritage. If a branch wanted to stand out, they could add a small mark to their shield to show their specific place in the family tree.
Granting authority
The Juge d'armes de France acted as the official authority that regulated and verified coats of arms across the country.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms from ancestors, though they could also receive them through royal grants or by proving their noble status.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the Armorial Général de France, which began its main collection in the year 1696.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of France.
Origin & History of the Grasso Family in France
The surname Grasso originates from the Italian language, where it literally translates to mean fat or stout. In medieval times, such names were often used as descriptive nicknames to identify a person’s physical appearance or personality. While the name is deeply rooted in Italian history, the family expanded across Europe through centuries of migration and trade. By 1725, records confirm that members of the Grasso family were established in the Bretagne region of France. During this era, families often moved to new territories to find better work in agriculture or maritime industries. The presence of the family in Bretagne suggests they were part of the steady movement of people across borders that shaped the cultural landscape of eighteenth-century Europe.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Crassus
Latin term meaning thick, fat, or dense.
This name
GrassoA descriptive nickname for a person who was stout or corpulent.
also spelled
Graso
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
De Felice, Emidio. Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. 1978
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eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
eagleNobility, strength and a keen mind
