SAID

This surname appears on the Militia Roster of 1417, but its roots in Sicily date back to at least the twelfth century.

In Arabic, sayyid means “sir, lord, master,” and ziyada means “growth, to increase.” The common personal name Sa’id means “happy, blissful, prosperous,” while Saida (or Sayda) is the more recent name for the ancient Phoenician city of Sidon.

Argent (silver/white) in heraldry indicates purity, innocence, sincerity and peace. It is seen here both as a field and as the tincture of the charge (a cat). Cats represent vigilance, warrior spirit and courage.