The ancient name of Fabriano was “Faberius”. We note that the origins date back to the twelfth century AD, and thus to the Middle Ages; however, some scholars have noted that  "Faberius" was a noble name, and, according to the documents,  it referred to a "Gens Faberia”, who had his landholdings in the area of Fabriano. "[...] It was also a “Gens Romana que [sic] nomen suum fortasse a Faber [...]"; or, it “was a Roman family that probably derives her name from 'smiths'”, i.e. the trade of blacksmith. Thus, the etymology of "Faberius-Fabriano" mean simply "smith". For more, it "is probably the same 'Faberius' possessed a considerable area of the “Giano” River Valley [where is located Fabriano], where similar or identical names are repeated" (See “Atti del XXI Convegno di Studi Storici Maceratesi: Macerata, 15-16 novembre 1986, Centro di Studi Storici Maceratesi, 1989, p. 8).  ["Proceedings of the XXI Congress of Historical Studies of Macerata: Macerata 15-16 November 1986, Centre for Historical Studies of Macerata, 1989, p. 8)].

Moreover, linguistic studies confirm the accuracy of this hypothesis and they concluded that the place-name "Faberius" is, precisely, “linked to the name or occupation of the landowner. According to Giovan Battista Pellegrini, [Fabriano derives] from 'Fabrius' or 'Faberius', with the suffix "-iacus" of Gallo-Roman area, from which [also derive] 'Fabriaco' or 'Fabriago' (Romagna)” (See "Studi Romagnoli, 2005, Vol 53, p.304). Finally, we note another interesting fact, namely that the same coat of arms depicts a blacksmith beating the iron on an anvil. The town of Fabriano is located on the banks of   Giano River, a tributary of Esino; this geographical position, so rich in water, literally made the fortune of city, encouraging the development of paper industry, the most important profit of  to come Fabriano, the first core of which dating back to the fifth century AD, for arrival of people from the cities of "Attidium" (now "Attiggio") and "Tuficum" (now "Tufico Village"), abandoned to the barbarian invasions.

During the twelfth century, two ancient castles, the "Castrum Vetus" ["Old Castle"] and "Castrum Novum" ["New Castle"], located on the right bank of  Giano River, merged, and the new city developed rapidly . Towards the middle of the thirteenth century, Fabriano became a municipality, as shown by documents that indicate the presence of city magistrates, and also the typical expansion of territory of city, which controlled the entire Giano River Valley and surrounding hills. The economic activity grew, during this period, very robust, because the development of a mercantile middle class, who took advantage of profits mainly from the manufacture of iron,  for which, as we said, the city coat of arms was a blacksmith. Later, also the paper industry developed, which spread the fame of Fabriano in Italy until the present time. At the same time, the city also developed a school of art that expressed real talent, as Allegretto Nuzi (1315 ca.-1374 ca.) and Gentile da Fabriano (1375-1427).

At the end of the fourteenth century, the powerful family of the Chiavelli made herself known, who imposed his rule until 1435. Towards the middle of the thirteenth century, the building began of new walls, which were terminated by Alberghetto I Chiavelli (1308-1348) in the early fourteenth century; so the city reached its greatest extent and it was divided into four quarters. The domain of Francesco Sforza (1401-1466) followed, until 1444, and later the town was annexed by the Church State. After the looting of Spaniards (1515) and the Government of Giulio de Medici (1478-1534), in 1527 a certain calm and economic prosperity returned. The seventeenth century was a period of decline and economic stagnation, but, with the eighteenth century the city, thanks to the paper, experienced a new period of economic expansion and building development, so that Fabriano, in the mid eighteenth century, was elevated by Benedict XIII (1649-1730) to the Diocese. In the Napoleonic period (1808) it had been annexed to the so-called “Italic Kingdom”, but, in 1813, it passed under the government of Naples, and, in 1814, under the Austrian. In 1815, it came under the rule of Church State until 1860, when it entered the Kingdom of Italy.