A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Saffron family of Italy.
Reg. 0189 · Italian, T–V
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
shipEnterprise, and a great voyage undertaken
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
Colours
Blue (Azure)Means: Loyalty and truth
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Historical info
Source
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“D'azur à un vaisseau à deux mâts ornés de banderoles de gu., les voiles d'arg. gonflées; ledit vaisseau voguant vers sen. sur une mer houleuse, de telle sorte que la proue est élevée au-dessus des flots; le tout acc d'une étoile d'arg., posée au point du chef.”
DalmatiaDalmatia, c. 1775
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Map of Italy showing where the Saffron arms are recorded
The Saffron arms were recorded in Dalmatia, c. 1775.
Dalmatia was a string of walled towns along the Adriatic coast, each with its own leading families. Sea trade made them wealthy, and the towns kept lists of the houses entitled to 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 Saffron 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 Dalmatia.
Origin & History of the Saffron Family in Italy
The family name Saffron traces its roots to the coastal regions of Dalmatia, where records confirm the presence of family members by 1775. During this period, the Dalmatian coast served as a vital crossroads for trade and cultural exchange between the Venetian Republic and the Ottoman Empire. The name likely originated as a descriptive occupational surname, as the region was known for its involvement in the spice trade and the cultivation of diverse botanical products. Families living in these port cities often adopted names linked to the goods they handled or the local landscape. By the late 18th century, the Saffron family was established within the social fabric of the Adriatic coast, participating in the maritime economy that defined the history of the Dalmatian people.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Safranum
A Latin term derived from Arabic referring to the yellow spice.
This name
SaffronAn occupational name for a merchant or grower of the saffron spice.
also spelled
Saffron
Zafron
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Fine, John V. A., When Ethnicity Did Not Matter in the Balkans: A Study of Identity in Pre-Nationalist Croatia, Dalmatia, and Slavonia in the Medieval and Early-Modern Periods, 2006
Rismondo, Petar, Povijest dalmatinskih obitelji, 1998
State Archives in Zadar (Državni arhiv u Zadru), Zbirka matičnih knjiga (Collection of Parish Registers), 1775
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
shipEnterprise, and a great voyage undertaken
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
shipEnterprise, and a great voyage undertaken
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
