The family surname derives from an ancestor named Jacopo, informally Jacopuccio, abbreviated to Puccio, who was considered wise and frequently called upon to settle disputes – there are records of two such interventions in 1264 and 1287.

With wealth came political offices such as magistracies, priories and gonfalonieres – the Pucci family produced a total of 23 priors and 8 holders of the post of confaloniere di giustizia.

However, a momentary bitter break with the Medici family came in 1559, when Pandolfo Pucci was ousted from the court of Cosimo I for dreaming of restoring the ancient Republic of Florence.

The plan had already been shelved, but after the Medici intelligence network got wind of it, Pandolfo was hung from a window of the Bargello and the Pucci properties were seized, and the most dangerous part of the family been exiled to Sicily where the surname changed into Puccio.

The most recent notable family member is Emilio Pucci, founder of the namesake post-war fashion house, who became famous in the 1960s for his prints, fabrics, and designs.

His son, Giannozzo Pucci, a noted publisher and ecologist, utilized the Palazzo's rooftop to create the only organic garden in a landmark Italian Renaissance building, where he cultivates rare types of vegetables to produce seeds for a worldwide network of seed-savers.

From 1452, his son, Antonio Pucci began to contribute funds to the construction of the Oratory of San Sebastiano of the church of Santissima Annunziata, for which he commissioned Piero del Pollaiuolo's painting of the Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (now in the National Gallery, London).The family also collected art, including four paintings commissioned by Lorenzo the Magnificent from Sandro Botticelli as a gift to Giannozzo Pucci on Giannozzo's marriage to Lucrezia Bini in 1483.

Whilst he was archbishop of Bologna, cardinal Antonio Pucci commissioned Raphael to paint a scene of The Ecstasy of Saint Cecilia - now moved to the city's Pinacoteca.