A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Olaso family of Spain.
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)“D'arg. à trois panelles de sin., les tiges en haut.”
The Olaso arms were recorded in Guipuzcoa, c. 1722.
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 Spain in this period.
Reigning in Spain when the Olaso arms are first recorded.
In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.
The family name Olaso originates from the Basque Country in northern Spain, specifically within the province of Guipuzcoa. The name is rooted in the Basque language, where the term "ola" refers to a forge or a place where iron was processed, and the suffix "so" often denotes a location or a specific dwelling. This suggests that the earliest members of the family were likely involved in the region’s historic iron industry, which was a vital part of the local economy during the eighteenth century. By 1722, records confirm that the Olaso family was well-established in this area, living as part of a society deeply connected to the rugged landscape and the traditional trades of the Basque people. Over time, the family name became a way to identify their ancestral home and their contribution to the industrial life of their community.
Basque term referring to a forge, ironworks, or a mountain hut.
