A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Grecco family of Italy.
Reg. 2808 · Italian, G–I
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
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Colours
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Coupé d'or sur azur; à un renard (dolce) ramp. de l'un en l'autre.”
VeniceVenice, c. 1775
Where the Grecco Arms Were Recorded
Venice
Map of Italy showing where the Grecco arms are recorded
The Grecco arms were recorded in Venice, c. 1775.
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 Grecco 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 Venice.
Origin & History of the Grecco Family in Italy
The surname Grecco is a variation of the Italian word *greco*, which translates to Greek. Historically, this name was often used as a descriptive label for individuals who had migrated to Italy from Greece or the eastern Mediterranean regions. By the year 1775, records confirm that families bearing this name were well-established within the vibrant maritime culture of Venice. During this period, Venice served as a major hub for trade and cultural exchange, attracting merchants and skilled laborers from across the Adriatic Sea. Families like the Greccos likely integrated into the city by participating in these busy commercial networks or by contributing to the specialized craftsmanship that defined the Venetian economy. Over time, the name transitioned from a simple identifier of origin into a permanent family name passed down through generations of residents in the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Graecus
Latin term referring to a person from Greece.
This name
GreccoAn ethnic surname identifying an individual of Greek origin or ancestry.
also spelled
Grecco
Greko
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
De Felice, Emidio. Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. 1978
State Archives of Venice (Archivio di Stato di Venezia), Anagrafi di popolazione
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