Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store
 Zaldivar Coat of Arms / Zaldivar Family CrestThis Italian and French surname of ZALDIVAR was from a personal name, originally rendered in the Latin form SALVIUS, and was borne by various early saints, among them a 6th century bishop of Albi and a 7th century bishop of Amiens. The origins of Italian surnames are not clear, and much work remains to be done on medieval Italian records. It seems that fixed bynames, in some cases hereditary, were in use in the Venetian Republic by the end of the 10th century. The typical Italian surname endings are 'i' and 'o', the former being characteristic of northern Italy. The singular form 'o' is more typical of southern Italy. A notable member of the name was Julianus Salvius (100-169) the Roman jurist. In about the year 130 he was commissioned by the emperor Hadrian to revise and rearrange the praetorian edict, which was thereafter fixed and settled. He later held high offices and was a member of the Emperor's CONSILIUM. The earliest French hereditary surnames are found in the 12th century, at more or less the same time as they arose in England, but they are by no means common before the 13th century, and it was not until the 15th century that they stabilized to any great extent; before then a surname might be handed down for two or three generations, but then abandoned in favour of another. In the south, many French surnames have come in from Italy over the centuries, and in Northern France, Germanic influence can often be detected. The name has many variant spellings which include Salvy, Sauvy, Salvio, Salvetti, Salvinelli, Salvinello, and Salvioli. It has long been a matter of doubt when the bearing of coats of arms first became hereditary and it was not until the Crusades that Heraldry came into general use. Men went into battle heavily armed and were difficult to recognise. It became the custom for them to adorn their helmets with distinctive crests, and to paint their shields with animals and the like. Coats of arms accompanied the development of surnames, becoming hereditary in the same way. The eagle depicted in the arms is emblematical of fortitude and magnanimity of mind. The Romans used the figure of an eagle for their ensign, and their example has been often followed. It is the device of Russia, Austria, Germany and the United States of America. |
