A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Orwig family of Italy.
Reg. 7335 · Italian, M–O
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
cross symbolChristian faith and service
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
Colours
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)
“Gironné d'azur et d'arg. - 2o Gironné (en commençant par le premier giron, de dextre à sen.) de sa., d'arg., de sin., de sa., d'arg., de sin., de sa. et de sin. - 3o Les armes du 2e, augmentées d'un surtout d'arg. au château sommé de deux tours de gu. - 4o Les armes du 3e, augmentées d'un lion ramp. d'or entre les deux tours du château dans le surtout. - 5o Gironné d'arg. et d'or, le premier giron d'arg. ch. d'une croisette de gu. - 6o Ec.: aux 1 et 4 de gu. au pal d'arg.; aux 2 et 3 d'azur à un dragon ailé naiss. d'or. - 7o D'arg. à un château sommé de deux tours de gu., acc. d'un coq au nat. entre les deux tours. - 8o D'or à trois barres de gu.; à une fleur-de-lis d'or, br. sur le tout; au chef d'azur, ch. d'un château sommé de trois tours de gu. - 9o D'arg. au lion d'or; au chef d'arg., ch. d'un croiss. de gu. - 10o D'arg. à une fasce d'azur, et une tête et col de lion de gu., br. sur la fasce; au chef d'or, ch. d'une aigle de sa. - 11o Parti d'or et d'azur; à un château sommé de deux tours de gu., br. sur le parti; au chef de gu., br. sur le parti et ch. d'une fleur-de-lis d'or. - 12o Parti: au 1 d'azur à un château sommé de deux tours de gu.; au 2 d'or à une fasce d'azur, et un arbre de sin., br. sur la fasce; au chef d'or, br. sur le parti et ch. d'une aigle de sa., cour. d'or. - 13o D'azur à deux fasces de gu., et deux fleurs-de-lis d'or, l'une sur l'autre, chacune sur une de ces fasces. - 14o D'or à deux fasces d'azur. - 15o D'arg. à [?]”
Italyc. 1775
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Map of Italy showing where the Orwig arms are recorded
The Orwig 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.
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
Sovereign of the period
Alvise Giovanni Mocenigo
1763–1778
Reigning in Italy when the Orwig 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 Italy.
Origin & History of the Orwig Family in Italy
The Orwig family name carries a history deeply rooted in the movement of people across European borders during the eighteenth century. While the name is often associated with Germanic linguistic origins, records confirm that members of the family were established residents of Venice by 1775. At that time, Venice served as a major crossroads for merchants, scholars, and artisans who traveled between the Italian peninsula and the northern territories. Living in a city defined by its maritime trade and complex bureaucracy, the Orwigs likely integrated into the local urban culture by participating in the city's vibrant commercial life. Their presence in such a cosmopolitan center suggests that the family was part of a mobile class of individuals who navigated the shifting political landscapes of the era to seek new opportunities in trade or administration.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Orwig
Derived from the Germanic elements meaning spear and battle or warrior.
This name
OrwigAn occupational or descriptive surname referring to a spear-wielding warrior or soldier.
also spelled
Origoe
Orig
Oreego
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Anagrafi di popolazione della città di Venezia, 1775
Cessi, Roberto, Storia della Repubblica di Venezia, 1944
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
cross symbolChristian faith and service
paleMilitary strength, and a fortified defence
chiefAuthority, wisdom and dominion
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
