Map of Italy showing where the Picone arms are recorded
The Picone 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 Picone 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 Picone Family in Italy
The surname Picone has deep roots in the island of Sicily, where the family was well-established by the late eighteenth century. The name is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname, likely derived from the Italian word "picca," which refers to a small or sharp object, or perhaps from a local term describing a person of small stature. During the 1700s, families in Sicily were often tied to the land through agricultural work or local trade, and the Picone name appears frequently in parish registers and civil records from this era. These early ancestors lived through a time of significant social change under the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, where they contributed to the vibrant culture and history of the Mediterranean region. As the family grew, they became part of the backbone of Sicilian society, maintaining strong community ties that allowed the name to persist through generations of economic and political shifts.
Picone Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Pica
Latin term for a magpie or a woodpecker.
This name
PiconeDerived from a nickname for someone with characteristics resembling a magpie.
also spelled
Pikone
Pycone
Piconi
Peekonee
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Guglielmo, Joseph, The History of Sicily, 2005
Archivio di Stato di Palermo, Stato Civile della Restaurazione, 1820–1860
Di Blasi, Giovanni Evangelista, Storia cronologica dei viceré, luogotenenti e presidenti del regno di Sicilia, 1842
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
mountThe ground held, and steadfastness upon it
dovePeace, love and the Holy Spirit
sunGlory, splendour and the source of life
