Map of Italy showing where the Pika arms are recorded
The Pika arms were recorded in Aquila Naples, c. 1775.
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 Pika 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 Pika Family in Italy
The history of the Pika family name is deeply rooted in the mountainous landscape of the Abruzzo region of Italy. By the year 1775, records confirm that members of the family were well-established residents of the city of L'Aquila. During this period, the city served as a vital cultural and economic hub in the Kingdom of Naples. Families living in L'Aquila at that time often worked in trades related to the wool industry or local agriculture, which were the primary drivers of the regional economy. The name itself likely evolved from local dialects or descriptive nicknames common to the people living in the high-altitude terrain of the Apennine Mountains. As the family grew, they became part of the social fabric of the city, contributing to the local community throughout the late eighteenth century.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pica
Latin term for the magpie bird.
This name
PikaRefers to a person with characteristics associated with a magpie, such as being talkative or having a sharp appearance.
also spelled
Picae
Picas
Pika
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Archivio di Stato dell'Aquila, Stato delle anime della città dell'Aquila, 1775
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
fessThe military belt, and readiness to serve
martletA younger son, who must win his own land
