The Tresca family name is rooted in the hereditary names employed among the patricians of the Republic of Venice during the tenth and eleventh century. Like the Romans, where a gens-name that was derived from the founder of the family-tree was added to the praenomen (first name), a Venetian's "cognomen", meaning "family name," was derived from a name applied to an early ancestor.

The Italian surname Tresca is a nickname, deriving its origin from a personal attribute of the initial bearer. The surname Tresca may be derived from the Italian word "tresca" which means "love, intrigue, liaison." (One can only speculate as to the characteristics of the original name-bearer).

The word "tresca" can also denote a country dance. If this is the original root of the name, it would indicate the name-bearer was particularly fond of this particular dance.

The earliest references to this name are to the Tresca family of Bari, a seaport on the Adiatic Sea in the south east of Italy, who are said to be of Bohemian (Czech) origin.

A member of the above family, one Giovianazzo Tresca, was recorded as a resident of Bari as early as 1400. A branch of the family settled in Terra d'Otranto in 1404 where Fabrizio Tresca married Adronica Castriota. Giovinazzao Tresca was a member of the Order of Malta in 1587. One Giovanni Tresca was recorded as a military judge in Terra di Lavoro in 1404. The Trescas do not appear in the history books again until the 1930s. Carlos Tresca was a famous Anarchist who was later murdered by an unknown assailant.

The coat of arms illustrated above was drawn by a heraldic artist based upon information about the Tresca surname and its association with heraldry. In the language of the ancient heralds, the arms are described as follows:

"Quartered: 1st, or; the letter "T" sa.; 2nd and 3rd, gu.; a dragon rampant vert.; 4th, chquy sa. and or. Charged with a small inner shield vert."

The Tresca arms is translated as:

"Divided into quarters: 1st quarter, gold background; a black initial "T", 2nd and 3rd quarters, red background; a green dragon standing upright; 4th quarter, checkered; alternating squares black and gold. A small green inner shield placed over all."

Seven vivid colors were chosen for use on shields of armor-clad knights to easily identify them at a distance. The heraldic colors gold, silver, purple, blue, green, black and red were preserved on colorless drawings by dot and line symbols. The type of shield is known primarily throughout Spain and Portugal.

In Spain and Portugal, shields were more rectangular, with a curved base. This so influenced the number and placing of insignia in medieval times that arms used in these countries often had their charges arranged in a completely different manner to other parts of Europe.

Quarterly, (fr. ecartelé): when a coat of arms is divided into four parts, which is usually party per cross (rarely per saltire). The term quarterly is found in ancient rolls, and the lines of partition are subject to many of the variations to which ordinaries are subject.

The divisions are numbered 1, 2, 3, 4, beginning at the dexter chief, and most frequently Nos. 1 and 4 are alike, as also Nos. 2 and 3; and when the quarter is charged its number must be always specified.

Chequy, Checky, Checquer-bearing, (fr. échiqueté, old fr. eschequeré): terms applied to a field or charge divided by perpendicular and horizontal lines, into small squares of metal and colour alternately. There should be at least twenty squares in the shield. If less, the number is named (as in the shield of TOLEDO, where there are 15). When only 9, with the French heralds the terms equipollé is applied.

This pattern is said by some to be derived from the game of chess, which if not originally introduced into Europe by the Crusaders was certainly revived by them. Others, however, with greater probably derived it from the Steward's or 'chequer' board. In the Exchequer of the kingdom, and the Chancellor of that department, the word is still retained; and the 'Checkers,' a frequent sign of small inns, with the board painted in squares on the outside, still hands down the tradition of the account board. It is not, however, impossible that this board gave the name to the game of chess played upon it.

The Charges

Dragon (fr. dragon): The next in importance to the griffin amongst the fictitious animals, seems perhaps to have had its origin in the stories brought by travellers who, on their way to the Holy Land, may have seen the crocodiles on the banks of the Nile, and exaggerated or idealized the form; and probably the word, in some of the instances in which it is used in the Bible, means the crocodile.

Represented rampant, its head is that of a serpent, of which an essential addition in the forked tongue. It has also, like the griffin, ears. The body, as to its proportions, is that of a lion, but it is represented scaled, and the large wings are webbed and pointed, and resemble rather those of the bat. The legs are also scaled, and the feet are represented usually with webbed talons; a spur, however, is often added. The tail is a tuft, and is always represented as barbed in English arms, but in French arms it is sometimes represented as with a fish-tail, and twisted. The dragon may be also represented 'sans' wings.

Escutcheon, (fr. écusson): (1) The shield itself whereon arms are emblazoned, (2) more especially of a small shield of which more than one (generally three) are borne on the shield. A single one so borne is called in inescutcheon. The term is found in early rolls spelt in various ways. Where there is a single inescutcheon the arms might be blazoned as with a bordure of such a tincture as the arms of DARCY shew.

Gules, (fr. gueules): the heraldic name of the tincture red. The term is probably derived from the Arabic gule, a red rose, just as the azure was derived from a word in the same language, signifying a blue stone. The word was, no doubt, introduced by the Crusaders. Heralds have, however, guessed it to be derived from the Latin gula, which in old French is found as gueule, i.e. the "red throat of an animal." Others, again, have tried to find the origin in the Hebrew word gulade, which signifies red cloth. Gules is denoted in engravings by numerous perpendicular lines. Heralds was blazoned by planets and jewels called it Mars, and Ruby.

Or, (fr. from Latin aurum): the chief of the tinctures, i.e. gold. It is called Sol by those who blazon by the sun and planets, Topaz (or Carbuncle) by those who have fancifully taken the names of precious stones. Engravers represent it by an indefinite number of small points. The term Gold is not unfrequently used by heralds to avoid repetition, and the French word Jaune, i.e. yellow, is met with in old heraldic poetry.

Sable, (fr. sable): the heraldic term for black, the term being probably derived from certain animals with black feet called Sabellinœ (mustela zibellina of Linnæus). It is called Saturn by those who fancifully blazon by the planets, and Diamond by those who use the names of jewels. Engravers represent it by numerous perpendicular and horizontal lines crossing each other.

Vert, (fr. sinople): green; absurdly called Venus by those who adopt planets, and Emerald by those who adopt the name precious stones instead of the true name of the tincture. It is expressed in engravings by line in bend. The French are said to have called it Sinople, from a town in the Levant (probably Sinope in Asia Minor) from which were brought the best materials for dyeing green, or silks and stuffs of a brilliant green colour, but the term does not occur before the fifteenth century. In the ancient rolls vert seems to be used occasionally (e.g. in the Roll of Carlaverock spelt verde).