refalo.com

• Blazon of Arms: Argent, on a base azure, a mountain of three peaks or, the center peak charged with the mullet of the first and surmounted by and eagle Volant sable.

• Translation of Crest:

  • Eagle: Person of noble nature, strength, bravery, and alertness; or one who is high-spirited, ingenious, quick-witted, and judicious; “True magnanimity and strength of mind”.

  • Mullet (star): Divine quality from above; mark of third son.

  • Volant (open wings): Swiftness and protection .

  • Crown (mural): Defender of a fortress, token of civic honor; one who first mounted the breach in the walls of a fortress.

  • Peaks:

  • Water:

• Color:

  • Argent (silver): peace & serenity.

  • Azure (blue): truth and loyalty. Azure is bright blue, i.e. the color of an eastern sky, probably derives the name from the Arabic lazura (conf. lapis lazuli).

  • Gold: generosity and elevation of mind.

  • Black (sable): constancy or grief. Sable is the heraldic term for black, the term being probably derived from certain animals with black feet called Sabellin� (mustela zibellina of Linn�us).

• Crest: An eagle displayed sable (black), crowned with or (gold).

• Origin: Malta

The sir name Refalo comes from the Maltese Island of Gozo. More specifically from two towns, Xaghra and Rabat (Victoria). Most Refalo’s are from Xaghra. Currently Carmelino Refalo is a local council member.

Gozo is one of three Maltese islands. The official languages are Maltese and English. Maltese is a language of Semitic origin written in the Latin script. Over the centuries, it has incorporated many words derived from English, Italian and French.

Tracing the origins of a Maltese family name is a fascinating journey through the history of this island state. We must keep in mind that Malta was ruled successively (starting from the sixteenth century B.C.) by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthenians, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs: with the Norman conquest of Malta in July 1090, the island became part of the Kingdom of Sicily. While subject to this kingdom (1090 - 1530), Malta had many rulers, the Normans (House of Hauteville), the Germans (House of Hohenstufen, French (House of Anjou), Spanish (House of Aragon), and Austrians (House of Hapsburg):. From 1530 to 1798 Malta, still being under nominal under the kingdom of Sicily it was ruled by the order of St. John of Jerusalem. From 1798 to 1800, Malta was under the French Republic; from 1800 to 1964, it was part of the British Empire. Charles A. Gauci in his book “The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta”, Mentions the Refalo family name and describes it coat of arms. The earliest reference to this family goes back to 1606 with one named Refalo (the personal name is not reported) who was “Jurat” (governor) of the island of Gozo.

The origin of the name Refalo could be Spanish, deriving from the place-name Rafael or the term “Rafaela”, which is a military expedition. However, being that these words derived from the Arabic “rahal”, meaning “voyage”, it could be that the surname derives directly from that language, without going through Spanish.