Personal Names in the Roman World - Interesting Reading  

Posted by: Italian Surname Database in

 

Personal Names in the Roman World
By Clive Cheesman


Available from The Book Depository 

Product Description

The Romans were unusual in the ancient world for having many names. A male Roman citizen would probably have three names and may well have had many more. Some of the names were received at birth, some inherited, some assumed by way of adoption or patronage. Greek writers record their bewilderment at this complex system and even the Romans themselves debated its origin.

This book ' the first synthetic treatment of Roman naming practices in English, and the first in any language for more than half a century ' builds on recent scholarship to trace the story of Roman names from the earliest recorded examples down to the end of the Western empire in the fifth century AD. The author places the evidence in its social, cultural and linguistic context, and where appropriate draws on comparative material from other eras and regions. He looks closely at the names of women, non-citizen inhabitants of the Empire and slaves, and concludes that for all their apparent oddity, Roman naming practices fit ancient models. They were governed and replicated not by law, as has been suggested, but by conservatism and a spirit of emulation. With the spread of empire and the incorporation of other cultures into the citizen body, the practices evolved beyond recognition, leaving behind the beginnings of medieval naming systems.


Full description

Post a Comment

Latin Names - Parish Records  

Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , , ,

"Santa Maria della Neve" - 1760
 Sometimes tracing your family back requires you to look at Parish records - especially if the town you are researching was not microfilmed by the LDS or if you are researching the period prior to the Unification of Italy.  Prior to the Unification, Civil Registration was not required so often the only records available are these.  The problem with these records is that not only are they harder to access but the information contained in them is often written in Latin.

This was because dialects were mostly spoken in the towns and the Italian language as we know it did not really exist.  In spite of this,  we noticed that often Latin names also had minor variations in spelling from Church to Church.  Some names are easier to recognize than others such as IJosephina -Josephine and Philippus-Philip. 

The image on the left is taken from the Cosenza Exchange and the record is copied from Santa Maria della Neve from the frazione of Santa Maria La Castagna in Montalto Uffugo.

 More interesting Latin Surname sites:

Post a Comment

Surname Database Update  

Posted by: Italian Surname Database

Finally, after several months of falling behind I have, as of yesterday evening,  added over 300 new surnames and contacts to the Database. As I mentioned earlier we are still in the process of changing the way names are to be submitted so keep a look out for the new contact form.  I will be asking for feedback on which way you prefer more.

Post a Comment

Royal Italian Families - King Victor Emmanuel II  

Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,

King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy

While watching the English - Canadian TV series, the Tudors  the other night I started  thinking about the Italian Monarchy and Royal Surnames of Italy and found some interesting sites detailing the lives of the Italian Royal Family.

Allan Raymonds Monarchies of Europe website gives a detailed time line of the Royal Italian Families which include descendants of Queen Victoria.  There's some wonderful information on the families including links to King Victor Emmanuel II who belonged to the House of Savoy-Carignano, obituary.

Victor Emmanuel II was born Vittorio Emanuele Maria Alberto Eugenio Ferdinando Tommaso, eldest son of Charles Albert of Sardinia and Maria Theresa of Austria on 14 March 1820 in Torino, Piemonte, Italy and died 9 January 1878 in Rome Lazio Italy. From 1849 to 1861, he was King of  of Piedmont, Savoy, and Sardinia and on 17 March 1861 he assumed King of Italy to become the first king of a united Italy, a title he held until his death in 1878.

Sources:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Emmanuel_II , http://www.djhooker.com/48/22874.htm,

Post a Comment

Holiday Inspired Italian Names  

Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , , , , ,

With the holiday season upon us I thought it would be nice to talk about some holiday inspired names.  Some names that come to mind are Natale (Christmas) Grazia (Grace) and Bifano (Epiphany).  All have been used as first or surnames.

A quick search on Searching the Enhanced Ellis Island Database in One Step using Natale with no variation returns over 2300 persons with the surname arrived through Ellis Island between 1892-1924.  By removing the letter e from the end of the name and searching again, the returns are over 3400.  By doing a search using it as a first name, which does yield some variations, almost 15,000 hits are returned!
Using Gens-Italia, we find the surname is present in over 956 towns with the highest concentration in the regions of Campania and Lombardy.  And of course, if we use the Italian White Pages Pagine Bianche to search the surname, we find that 3317 people are listed.

Let's try the same thing with Grazia. Doing a quick search on Grazia, again with no variation, we find that 3282 immigrants with the surname entered through the New York port.  Gens Italia returns the name is still present in 158 towns with the highest concentration in Emilia Romagna while there are only 423 persons listed in the Italian White pages.

The less popular Bifano still returns 119 hits on Ellis Island, found in 72 towns in Italy and 158 hits on the Italian White Pages.

As a side note - while extracting records from various towns in Reggio Calabria, I often noticed that the first names Natale and  Natalina were given to persons born either near or on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day.  I also found that these births, and many births which took place in late December were not registered until January the following year so my advice is that if you are looking for someone named Natale and are having difficulty locating a birth record, try looking in the months of December and January.  
Name Meaning and History
Bifano

Southern Italian: from the medieval personal name Epifanio, ultimately from Greek Epiphanios, a derivative of epiphainesthai ‘to appear’, a name typically given to children born on 6th January, with reference to the Christian festival of the Epiphany, which commemorates the manifestation of Christ to the Magi.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
Grazia
Italian form of Grace.
A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0192800507

This post is dedicated to my good friend "Biff" and his family who I now consider a part of my very special Gente family.  God Bless and Happy Holidays.

Post a Comment

Time for a Change.  

Posted by: Italian Surname Database in

It's been a very long three months.  After Carole's death things just sort of spiraled out of control which has left me a bit backlogged with work.  Yesterday I spent almost 19 hours just going through all my emails and formatting the more than 200 names to be entered into the database.  Spelling errors, missing information and follow up emails were all part of the process.  Now that it's all copied over I need to merge them into the database.
Perhaps one of the single most difficult thing about this database is that it's all created by html.  I chose to have people send me the info to help eliminate the spam that is definitely associated with almost every website.  Also, I wanted to be able to correct and fill in missing information and make it so the contact links are *not* click able.  This will prevent spam programs from using the mail to link to send unwanted mail.
Having said that, I think it may be time for a change.
After conversations with a friend who specializes in web program and development, I decided it may be time to make the database interactive.  People will be able to input their own data - but of course I will still be able to *weed out* the undesirable.  There will no longer be an option for people to send me their genealogy questions.  I would love to help everyone but the truth is I am not a professional genealogist.  I have a full time job and a house and family to look after.  This a a hobby for me and I don't have the time or money to be able to actually answer everyone's questions.
I just want to remind everyone that if they do have a genealogy related question they can post it on the Gente Genealogy Forum that we have.  There are hundreds of members on Gente from all over the world that would love to help - and it really lightens my load quite a bit.  If you have a chance check it out.  You may find it useful.

Post a Comment

Gens-Italia  

Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , , ,

Gens-Italia  is an excellent site to use to see the distribution of your surname in Italy.  Some of you might remember it as the site Susan Sarandon used in the April 2010 episode of Who do You Think You Are? to help her get started on researching her roots. While I know I have written briefly about this site before I think it important to revisit and find out what else it can do for you.

To get started, you simply enter your surname in the search bar labeled Cognome: in the top left hand corner and click the arrow or hit enter. 


Now if you have a common surname such as Rossi then it probably won't help you much as the map is almost completely covered by circles meaning the name is extremely popular throughout all of Italy and found in 4541 towns. Now if you have a not so common surname such as Baldovini you will see that it is primarily found in Central Italy and in only 16 towns or villages. By clicking on the circles you will get a close up map of the region the name is found in and with the help of Google Maps you might even be able to zero in on the specific towns.


You can also search for your name in the USA using the Gen-US Surname Map which can be really useful if you're trying to determine not only where your ancestors originally emigrated from but to where those with the surname are currently living.  Once again using Baldovini we see that there are currently only three states which the name is prevalent in which make up about 10 persons.  But, if we translate the name to Baldwin, the American equivalent to Baldovini,  it now becomes a totally different ball game with the name being distributed fairly evenly in almost every US state and which represent hundreds of people.



Post a Comment

Common Suffixes in Surnames  

Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,

From Wikipedia..

A large number of Italian surnames end in i, due to the medieval Italian habit of identifying families by the name of the ancestors in the plural (which have an -i suffix in Italian). For instance, Filippo from the Ormanno family (gli Ormanni) would be called "signore Filippo degli Ormanni" ("Mr. Filippo of the Ormannos"). In time, the middle possessive portion ("of the") was dropped, but surnames became permanently pluralized and never referred to in the singular, even for a single person. Filippo Ormanno would therefore be known as Filippo Ormanni.[5] Some families, however, opted to retain the possessive portion of their surnames, for instance Lorenzo de' Medici literally means "Lorenzo of the Medici" (de' is a contraction of dei, also meaning "of the"; c.f. The Medicis).

Some common suffixes indicate endearment (which may also become pluralized and receive an -i ending), for example:

  • -ello/illo/etto/ino (diminutive "little"), e.g., Bernardino, Bernardello
  • -one (augmentative "big"), e.g., Mangione
  • -accio/azzo/asso (pejorative[6]), e.g., Boccaccio
Other endings are characteristic of certain regions:[2]
  • Veneto: -asso, -ato and consonants (l, n, r): Bissacco, Zoccarato, Cavinato, Brombal, Francescon, Meneghin, Perin, Peron, Vazzoler
  • Sicily: -aro, -isi and "osso": Cavallaro, Puglisi, Rosso (Sicily and Veneto)
  • Lombardy: -ago/ghi and -ate/ati: Salmoiraghi, Bonati
  • Friuli: -otti/utti and -t: Bortolotti, Pascutti, Codutti, Rigonat
  • Tuscany: -ai and -aci/ecci/ucci: Bollai, Balducci
  • Sardinia: -u, -as and -is: Pusceddu, Schirru, Marras, Argiolas, Floris, Melis, Abis
  • Piedmont: -ero, -audi, -asco,-zzi: Ferrero, Rambaudi, Comaco, Bonazzi
  • Calabria: -ace: Storace
  • Campania: -iello: Borriello
Side note Accuracy of article - all information on this article is sourced. It is worth looking through the sources for additional information.

    Post a Comment

    Arbëresh Villages and Surnames in Southern Italy  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database

    The Albanian people began to settle in Italy (in particular Sicily and Calabria) about 1400 AD and arrived as a sort of military mercenary to the country. In return for their help they were given land grants and allowed to permanently take up residence in the country. They formed communities and integrated well within the land and were often referred to as Greci or Greeks. They currently live in about 49 mountain towns and villages from the Abruzzi Appenines to the south of Italy and Sicily.

    Arbëresh Villages in Sicily:

    • Biancavilla  - Catania
    • Bronte - Catania
    • Contessa Entellina - Palermo
    • Mezzojuso- Palermo
    • Palazzo Adriano - Palermo
    • Piana degli Abanesi (Piana dei Greci - prior to 1940) - Palermo
    • Sant’Angelo Muxaro - Agrigento
    • San Michele di Ganzaria - Catania
    • Santa Cristina Gela- Palermo
    For a list of some known names and more about the history of Albanians in Sicily, see the article at Sicilian Arbëresh Surnames.

    Calabrian Arbëresh Villages in Cosenza:

    • Acquaformosa
    • Castroregio
    • Cavallerizzo
    • Cervicati
    • Civita
    • Eian
    • Falconara
    • Firmo
    • Frascineto
    • Lungro
    • Macchia
    • Montegrassano
    • Plataci
    • Rota Greca
    • S. Basile
    • S. Bernedetto
    • S. Caterina
    • S. Cosmo
    • S. Demetrio
    • S. Giorgio
    • S. Lorenzo
    • S. Marco
    • S. Martino
    • S. Sofia
    • Spezzano
    • Vaccarizzo

    Calabrian Arbëresh Villages in Catanzaro:

    • Amato
    • Andali
    • Arietta
    • Caraffa
    • Carfizzi
    • Gizzeria
    • Marcedusa
    • Pallagorio
    • S. Nicola
    • Vena
    • Zagarise
    • Zangarona

    For a list of some known names and more about the history of Albanians in Calabria, see the article at Calabrian Arbëresh Surnames.

    Post a Comment

    Beware of Email Scams  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,

    Beware of emails inquiring about the death of an ancestor or relative in a foreign country signed by a lawyer, or "esq".  The author is interested in gaining personal information or validating your email and ISP.  The letter looks something like this:

    Hope Chambers
    The Barn House,
    38 Meadow Way
    Eastcote
    Ruislip
    HA4 8TB
    London-UK
    Tel:+447035978683

    Hello (Surname is inputted here),
    I am David Homes, from Hope Chambers, London-UK. Please this is just an inquiry.
    I am trying to find out if you are by any chance related to Late Mr. Guissepe Agostino who died in March 2008 in UK.
    I believe he is originally from Italy. But was based in UK.
    Do get back to me urgently.

    Yours in service,

    David Homes Esq.

    Should you receive one (or several of these emails) please do NOT respond. This is just one of several email scams that circulate annually - Real inquires from Barristers or Solicitors offices would be sent to your home address by registered mail and never by email.

    Post a Comment

    Statistical Data of Argentina  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in

    This site will give you the Distribution of Surnames in Buenos Aires City . The information is taken from a 2001 voter list and you will notice that many of the surnames have either Italian or Spanish origin.


    Regretfully the other links on the left side of the page don't seem to be working but it's still an interesting site to browse through.

    Post a Comment

    American Speech  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,

    The Anglicization of Italian Surnames in the United States
    Joseph G. Fucilla 
    American Speech
    Vol. 18, No. 1 (Feb., 1943), pp. 26-32
    (article consists of 7 pages)
    Published by: Duke University Press
    Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/487264



    I found this interesting article on the Anglicization of Italian Surnames in the United States by Joseph G. Fucilla of Northwestern University. The full article is available for purchase by the publisher for $15.00.

    If you order or have read the full article please stop back here and let us know your thoughts on it.

    Post a Comment

    Naming Traditons - First Names  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in

     While I know this blog is about surnames, I would like to stop a minute and talk about first names and Italian naming patterns. It's a subject I find that rarely gets old and can be useful while researching.

    Ok, so we have all heard about the *traditional* Italian naming pattern of the first born male is named after the paternal grandfather, the first born female after the paternal grandmother, the second born male after the maternal grandfather and the second born female after the maternal grandmother. While this is a fairly recent tradition (in my opinion of course) I found that in many families this is not how it worked until the more recent records of the early to mid 1900's.

    This was especially true on my paternal side where the opposite naming patterns applied.  The first born male was actually named after the maternal grandfather, the first born female after the maternal grandmother, etc.  I found this pattern began early in the civil records and continued to my father's generation.  Only recently, has the more recognized pattern been followed which I find interesting.  This pattern would break of course if a child passed away and another child born shortly after in which case the name would be *recycled*. Sometimes the middle name, if given would be changed to differentiate between the two children and sometimes the name would remain the same.  And of course, lets not forget that very often the name Maria precedes many female names - Maria Rosa, Maria Antonia, Maria Concetta, etc.   My family named each one of their female children this way.

    So if you are having trouble finding a lost relative try switching the names around and see if anything new turns up.  I managed to find more than one ancestor this way.

    Post a Comment

    Book Recommendation for October  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , ,

    A must have book when doing Italian research is Tradford Cole's Italian Genealogical Records. Chapter 3 has some wonderful information about Italian Surnames and how they came to be.

    Interestingly enough is that although there appears to be hundred's of thousand's of Italian Surnames, when you break them all down, they are all derived from some pretty simple root names. Endings are added to the root word to describe the individual, a trait, a characteristic, residence or a family line.

    While I always thought that my surname Angilletta may have meant little Angel, I am now beginning to wonder if perhaps it really means "of the family of little Angelo". I would need to trace my family much farther back than I have to prove this but it's still interesting to to know the possibility exists.

    Have a look through the book and then try to break your surname down to the root. Perhaps you will find something new that could help you with your research. And don't forget to come back and post here if you do find something interesting.

    Post a Comment

    Setting Goals for October  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in

    Sorry I have been away for so long but with Carole's passing and the updating of records I have been a bit (okay, well a lot) behind in everything. The good news is that I have been adding names into the database and I should hopefully be caught up soon.

    I have also been updating the Links portion of the Calabria Exchange to include references to other than Calabria. Recently added pages include Sicily, South American & Spanish, and Lazio resource links. I encourage you to have a look and please tell me what you think of it. If there are any links you wish to add, please contact me.

    As always, I have been busy answering as many emails as I can and organizing my personal files. My office is starting to look like a storage for paper and books which is not very comfortable to work from so my goal for this month is to organize and update the sites and my work space.

    Post a Comment

    Chiricosta-Ciricosta  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database

    From the wonderful website Origini dei Cognomi Italiani :

    Chiricosta/CiricostaChiricosta seems specific Ardore (RC) and the nearby Sant `Ilario Ionian Ciricosta is typical of Melicucco Rosamond and always in Reggio.


    *Assumptions provided by Alexis Bruno Bedini
       
    Surname exclusively in the area Locri (RC) - Gerace (RC) with a high incidence in the city of Ardore (RC).
    The data in my possession is a noble family originally from Locri (RC).  Etymologically speaking in the dialect Reggio "Chirico" is the top of something.
    *Assumptions provided by Stefano Ferrazzi

    The origin of surnames and Chiricosta Ciricosta in fact be found in the Greek dialects of the south, where the expression Chiri / CIRI Costa (from the greek kyrie Costas) literally means Mr. Costa (as in surnames such Serantoni, Sergianni, Sernicola, etc.): French, in fact, is a greek name of tradition and beyond Greece itself (which is still in use as a personal name), it seems that at one time enjoyed a reputation in our country ( for more explanation on the name, see French surname). 
     As for names in question, then, is the cognominizzazioni personal names of the founders.


    And for a list of Chiricosta Births from Ardore please visit The Calabria Exchange - Ardore

    Post a Comment

    In Loving Memory of Carole W. Bienati - 1941-2010  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , ,


    Carole Wendy Whiddett Bienati


















     The surname database will temporarily not be updating while we mourn the passing of our good friend and Co-founder of Gente di Mare and Author of the Alpine Settler Blog and Journal. Carole W. Bienati who died suddenly and peacefully in her home on 16 August 2010. 
    Carole will be forever in our minds and in our hearts as she touched the lives of many. We will miss her.

    Post a Comment

    A genealogy treasure trove:......  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database

     A wonderful article post by my friend at Geneal Italia that I had to share.

    http://genealitalia.blogspot.com/2010/08/genealogy-treasure-trove-translating.html

    Post a Comment

    Surnames of Caulonia, Reggio Calabria  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,

    Judy, who is researching the comune of Caulonia, Reggio Calabria Italy has submitted these surnames.  Feel free to leave a comment here for Judy if you can help her out at all with any information .

    Acquaniti
    Adami
    Adamo
    Agostina
    Ajossa
    Alba
    Albanese(i)
    Ali
    Aloi
    Alvaro
    Alvino
    Ambrosini
    Ameduri
    Ammendotia
    Angilletta
    Arcadi
    Arcorace
    Arena
    Argiro
    Aromataris
    Audino

    Bali
    Barba
    Barreca
    Basile
    Baudelle
    Baudille
    Bava
    Beata
    Belcastro
    Bellino
    Bellucci
    Bombardiere
    Bombardieri
    Bonaventura
    Borgese
    Buongiorno

    Cagliuso
    Calemme
    Calipari
    Callarico
    Calotta
    Calvi
    Camelia
    Cameriere
    Campanella
    Campisi
    Candido
    Candiloro
    Capece
    Cappelara
    Carbonara
    Caristo
    Carni
    Carrocci
    Cataldo
    Cartisano
    Cavallaro
    Cavallo
    Chiera
    Chiodo
    Chitti
    Ciccarello
    Cimino
    Cipriana
    Circosta
    Cirillo
    Colloridi
    Comito
    Commisso
    Concuvia
    Coniglio
    Corsaro
    Cortese
    Costa
    Cotrona
    Cricelli
    Crisafi
    Crispino
    Cuccio
    Cursaro
    Cuteri

    D’Agostino
    D’Aloi
    D’Amato
    D’Arco
    Daniele
    Davoli
    Deblasio
    Deciccia
    Delorenzis
    Deluca
    Delvecchio
    Demarco
    Demasi
    Dichiera
    Dileo
    Dimasi
    Divino
    Dominelli

    Elevato

    Falcone
    Falotta
    Fameli
    Fanto
    Fazio
    Fazzari
    Fazzalari
    Fazzolari
    Ferreri
    Finis
    Fiorenza
    Fiorino
    Firmin
    Focci
    Foti
    Fragomeli
    Fragomeni
    Frajia
    Frammartino
    Francese
    Francavilla
    Franco
    Franzi
    Fraula

    Gagliardi
    Gallo
    Garuccio
    Gasperini
    Genovese
    Gentile
    Gerace
    Geracitano
    Gerecitano
    Giannone
    Giglia
    Graziani
    Grigora
    Grupido
    Guarnesi

    Hyerace

    Idone
    Ienco/Jenco
    Ierace/Jerace
    Infusini

    Jacopetta

    Labate
    Lagana
    Lamberto
    Lanzetta
    Larosa
    Leopoldi
    Lipari
    Lobianco
    Loccisano
    Lopresti
    Lopresto
    Lucano
    Lupis

    Macri
    Magnoli
    Maiolo
    Mammone
    Manno
    Mazza
    Mazzaferro
    Mercuri
    Michelizzi
    Midigliano
    Mirabelli
    Mirigliano
    Montagnese
    Morabito
    Morelli
    Mordocco
    Mosca
    Muia
    Murdocco
    Murdolo

    Napoli
    Napolitano
    Nesci
    Niutta
    Novembrina
    Nubino
    Nuceforo
    Nuciforo

    Olivella
    Oppedisano
    Orobello
    Ottobrino

    Pachi
    Panaja
    Panetta
    Pannia
    Papaleo
    Paparo
    Papazzo
    Parisi
    Pavone
    Pelligrina
    Pensabene
    Pepi
    Petrolo
    Pezzaniti
    Piscioneri
    Pisto
    Placanica
    Ponziano
    Portaro
    Prestininzi
    Procopio
    Puccio
    Puglia
    Pulicano
    Puticano

    Quaraesima

    Racco
    Raimondo
    Raschella
    Ricorda
    Rinaldo
    Ritorto
    Roccisano
    Romano
    Romeo
    Rossino
    Rubino
    Rullo
    Ruva

    Salerno
    Sangiovanni
    Santarelli
    Scali
    Schianto
    Scicchitano
    Scrivo
    Scuteri
    Sergio
    Severino
    Sghirripa
    Sigismondo
    Silanno
    Simone
    Simonetta
    Sorace
    Spano
    Squillace
    Squillacioli
    Strangio

    Talotta
    Taranto
    Tarzia
    Tassone
    Timpano
    Tipaldo
    Torello
    Tornese

    Umbaca
    Ursini
    Ursino

    Vallelonga
    Varano
    Veneranda
    Ventrice
    Viera
    Vigliarolo
    Vitali
    Volugise
    Vozzo

    Zalfino
    Zappia

    Post a Comment

    Surnames of San Marco Argentano in 19th century  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , ,

    This amazing site has an index to all the surnames present in the Comune di San Marco Argentano, Cosenza that were present in the 19th century.  The author has researched using the registers located in the Italian Archives.  He has included births starting from 1809 and marriages from 1811.

    Keep in mind that these surnames may not necessarily have originated in San Marco Argentano as he has included any name that he found a reference too in the registers.




    Post a Comment

    Rovito  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,

    Italian (Calabria): habitational name from Rovito in Cosenza province, so named from Latin rubetum ‘thornbush’, ‘briar’, ‘bramble’.
    GIVEN NAMES: Italian 11%; Spanish 6%. Gennaro (2), Mario, Nazzareno, Rafael; Carlos, Diego, Francisco, Mariela.

    *Source url:   http://www.answers.com/topic/rovito-1

    Post a Comment

    How to Submit Your Surnames to the Database  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,

    It's been a long month. Over a hundred surnames have been submitted for entry into the Italian Surname Database.  The most difficult part of updating the site is missing information and formatting the data.  I do this all manually since I chose not to use any flashy programs that might slow down the site.

    If you would like to submit a surname you can help me by following the steps below.

    First go to the Contact  link on the site. You will see a Submit form.  Enter your name. Some people choose to use their surname as the name but I believe it's more effective to use a first name but it's not necessary. 
    Next provide a valid email address where a person can contact you.  Valid emails are required.
    Next, provide your surname and the town, province and region in Italy your ancestor is from.  If you know the town but not the province or region a simple search using your favourite search engine will help and will also ensure you have spelled it correctly.  I spend approximately two hours a month looking this information and correcting spelling for submitters which delays my updating the site.  I also receive emails from people that say their ancestors were from somewhere around the Southern Region of Italy or around Naples.  I can not determine where your ancestors are from.
    Once entered submit the info and you should receive a Thank You message letting you know I have received your request or an Error message if something has gone wrong. There is no need to send another email unless you notice I have updated the site since you sent your request and your surname has not been added.

    Please do not use all lowercase or all uppercase letters in your submission.  If you do, then I will have to reformat the information all over again.

    Your submission should look like this:

    Angilletta
    Ardore
    Reggio Calabria
    Calabria
    Nuccia
    youremail @ gmail.com

    and NOT like this:

    ANGILLETTA, Domenic,  ardore, from somewhere in the south of Italy.

    There is no need to add anything else.  This database can not answer genealogy related questions and no one sees the additional information except for me.  If you do need help locating an ancestor then please join Gente di Mare Italian Genealogy Forum and we will do our best to assist you.  I also get several emails in Spanish and French.  The members on the forum are from all over the world and will be happy to answer those questions and you can post them in your language of choice.  I unfortunately can not.

    Thanks and have a Happy Canada Day and a Happy Fourth of July!

    Post a Comment

    Morabito/Murabito  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , , , ,

    Morabito
    Last name origin & meaning:
    Italian (Sicily): nickname for a teetotaler, Sicilian murabbitu, from Arabic murābịt ‘hermit’, ‘ascetic’.


    According to the Genealogy Family Education website, this surname is actually a derivative of the Arabic surname of Murabit meaning hermit. Facebook has a whole group devoted to this surname - Morabito.. more tha a name, a way of life.  with over 170 members and open content.

    While searching the Ellis Island Website using my favourite search engine One Step Pages by Stephen Morse
    and using various spellings, I discovered the surname is most common in parts of Sicily and Reggio Calabria.

    According to the RES website, the surname appears in 79 out of 380 towns in Calabria.

    Post a Comment

    Pagine Bianche  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in

    A great resource for looking up Italian surnames and locating people in Italy is to use the on line Pagine Bianche (White Pages).  This telephone directory also links to the Pagine Gialle or the Yellow Pages so you can locate businesses.

    There are a few ways to use the site. The first is to click on ricerca, then plug in the surname and or address in chi/cosa and the comune(town, city or province) name in dove if known. Another way to use the site is to click on ricercha speciale and use it to do a reverse look up if you know a phone number but don't know who it's registered too.

    No matter how you choose to use the site it's definitely worth checking out.

    Post a Comment

    What to name a child? In Italy, a court can decide  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,

    This article, written in Dec 2007 By Philip Pullella caught my attention this morning and I wanted to share it.

    (Reuters) - An Italian court has ruled that a couple could not name their son "Friday" and ordered that he instead be called Gregory after the saint whose feast day he was born on.
    "I think it is ridiculous they even opened a case about it," the family's lawyer, Paola Rossi, told Reuters by telephone from the northern city of Genoa on Tuesday.
    Friday/Gregory Germano was born in Genoa 15 months ago. The parents registered him as Friday in the city hall and a priest even baptised him as Friday -- unusual in Italy since many priests insist that first names be of Christian origin.
    "We named him Friday because we like the sound of the name. Even if it would have been a girl, we would have named her Friday," the boy's mother, Mara Germano, told Reuters.
    When the boy was about five months old, a city hall clerk brought the odd name to the attention of a tribunal, which informed the couple of an administrative norm which bars parents from giving "ridiculous or shameful" first names to children.
    The tribunal said it was protecting the child from being the butt of jokes and added that it believed the name would hinder him from developing "serene interpersonal relationships".
    The Germano family appealed but lost their case this month and the story was carried on the front page of a national newspaper on Tuesday.
    When ordered to change the name, the parents refused and the court ruled the boy would be legally registered as Gregory because he was born on that saint's feast day.
    "I really doubt this would have happened to the child of parents who are rich and famous," the boy's mother told Reuters, recalling that some famous Italians had given their children unorthodox names such as "Ocean" or "Chanel".
    The appeals court ruled against Friday because it recalled the servile savage in Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe and because superstitious Italians consider Friday an unlucky day.
    "I am livid about this," the boy's mother said. "A court should not waste its time with things like this when there is so much more to worry about."
    "My son was born Friday, baptised Friday, will call himself Friday, we will call him Friday but when he gets older he will have to sign his name Gregory," she said.

    You can view the original article here.

    Post a Comment

    Our Italian Surnames - By Joseph Guerin Fucilla  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database

    Our Italian Surnames - By Joseph Guerin Fucilla is available on Google Books.  The section from which I linked it to entitled The Evolution of Italian Surnames concentrates primarily on Northern Italian Surnames.  There are over 7500 surnames and sources listed throughout the 299 page book which makes it an interesting and most comprehensive read.

    Book Review

    You can read the Google book review available for more information.

    The book was originally written in the late 1940's and is available on Amazon.com as well as Chapters.Indigo

    Post a Comment

    Behind the Name  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , , , ,

    Behind the Name is a wonderful site which lists several hundred surnames and their meanings.  It also may tell your where the surname is derived from. 
    The beauty of this site is that it not only concentrates on Italian surnames but on surnames from several different parts of the world such as Germany, Spain, Greece and Ireland plus much more.  If you don't find your surname in one area I would encourage you spend the time exploring other areas of the site to see if your surname originated elsewhere.  You may also want to check out the section entitled The Most Common Surnames  where it lists the top 100 surnames for many countries.  Again, don't forget to use variation in spelling.

    Post a Comment

    Problems with Comment Feature  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in

    I had some problems receiving comments on the weekend since the feature was not quite working. This was caused by a recent update in the template.

    I was able to locate where the missing code in the css sheet should have been and added it so it should be corrected now. I also managed to correct a few other issues and hopefully the template is now working as it was meant to work.

    I appreciate those who took the time to email me and let me know about the problem.  Thanks again.

    Post a Comment

    Surname Saturday - Why Italian Surnames Changed  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , ,

    Italian surnames have changed so much in the past century.  Almost everyone I meet has a story about how their surname was changed at Ellis Island upon their ancestor's entry in to the US.  The truth of the matter is that names were not usually changed at Ellis.  Manifest lists were complied and written in the country from which the immigrant came and by someone who normally was familiar with the language of that same traveler.  So how did the names change then?
    Names changed for several reason. One such reason was that the immigrant was illiterate and so they could not spell their last name. This resulted in the dropping of some double letters in surnames or in silent letters. Before 1909, passports were not usually used or needed so it was not uncommon for minor spelling errors to occur.  You may wonder about birth certificates as well but it was not normal custom for Italians to carry a copy of their birth certificates on them. In fact, rarely did any see their actual birth acts unless they were getting married in Italy and their parents were deceased and in which case they were required to show a copy of their births upon registering to get married.  Of course, many immigrants left Italy as young, single men and so had no reason to ever really see their birth records.  Not only could this cause issues with the correct spelling of a surname, but also with birth dates as often the actual day a child was born and the day a child was registered were different.
    This was not the only reason a surname might change. Some changed their surnames to something that was more Anglicized to help secure work and discourage discrimination.   The process was a simple one as no legal documents were necessary.  Giovanni Rossi might become John Ross and Vincenzo Valentino might be known as James Valentine.  This name change usually only affected the person in the US.  He would still be known by his birth name on legal documents or upon traveling.
    I will write more on why names changed or how they changed in upcoming posts. Meanwhile, I would be interested in hearing how your name has changed or why it changed.

    Post a Comment

    Calabria Exchange  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,


    For the last few years we have been extracting records from various Comuni in the province of Reggio Calabria.  We have also been linking the actual images of births, marriages and deaths whenever possible.

    This of course has not been an easy task as we are currently a non profit site.  But thanks to the wonderful volunteers who have provided records and assistance who have made it much easier.

    If you would like to help with this project, please contact us through here or on the Calabria Exchange.  We could use all the help we can get!

    Post a Comment

    Updated Surname Database  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in

    I added about 50 new surnames to the database this morning including:

    • Canvil
    • Fazzolari
    • Fida
    • Ferroggiaro
    • Grizzuti
    • Grizzuto
    • Guido
    • Iannino
    • Grimani
    • La Grua
    • Lamentia
    • La Pilusa
    • Larosa
    • Luisi
    • Luppino
    You can search the Italian Surname Database  to make connections with others who are researching your family name. Includes surnames from Argentina, Reggio Calabria, Cosenza, Venuto, Sicily and many more.

    Post a Comment

    Surnames of Orphans  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , ,

    Specific surnames were most commonly given to children who were orphans, illegitimate, or foundlings such as Esposito meaning exposed or Trovato, meaning found which identified the child for life as an abandoned child.  This often caused shame and embarrassment to the child.  After the Unification in 1865, this practice was no longer allowed.

    Other common foundling names include:
    Benvenuto - Welcome
    Conforte - Comforted
    Salvati - Saved
    Brutto - Ugly
    Sventura- Unfortunate
    Aflitto - Afflicted

    Post a Comment

    Italian Surnames: Ethymology and Origin  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , ,

    One site that offers a lot of interesting information about Italian Surnames and how they came to be is Italy World Club.  They have broken down the origins of surnames by several categories such as Patronymics, Toponymics, Occupational, Nicknames, and Surnames of Foundlings. 

    The SURNAME, also called FAMILY NAME, is nowadays added to an original or baptismal name, inherited and held in common by members of a family. The Italian word "cognome" comes from the Latin "cum nomine", something that accompanies the name. In antiquity no surnames were used, then for the first time in ancient Rome the use of the tria nomina ...

    Post a Comment

    Top 20 Italian Surnames in Italy  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , ,

    According to an article in http://italian.about.com/od/italianculture/a/aa111704a.htm, written by , the top 20 surnames in Italy appear below. I have also included the meaning for each as well as alternate spellings.  Russo and Rossi seem to be the most common.


    ROSSI - A red-haired or ruddy-complexioned individual, derived from the nickname "rosso," meaning ' red.' Most common in northern Italy. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: ROSSO, ROSSA, RUSSI, RUSSO, RUGGIU, RUBIU, ROSSELLI, ROSSELLO, ROSSELLINI, RISSIELLO, ROSSILLO, ROSSETTI, ROSSETTO, ROSSETTINI, ROSSITTI, ROSSITTO, ROSSINI, ROSSINO, ROSSOTTI, ROSSOTTO, ROSSINI, ROSSONE, ROSSUTO, RUSSELLO, RUSSINO, RUSSOTTI, RUSSOTTO, RUSSIANI, RUSSOLILLO

    RUSSO - This southern Italian variation of the ROSSI surname which means "red-haired or ruddy-complexioned individual." Derived from the nickname "rosso," meaning ' red.' Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: ROSSI, RUSSELLO, RUSSINO, RUSSOTTI, RUSSOTTO, RUSSIANI, RUSSOLILLO

    FERRARI- An occupational surname from the Italian word "ferraro," meaning 'blacksmith" - originally derived from the Latin ferrum meaning "iron." The Italian equivalent of the surname SMITH. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: FERARI,

    ESPOSITO - A last name commonly given to children in Italy (prior to its unification in 1861) who were abandoned or given up for adoption by their parents. From the Latin "expositus," the past participle of the Latin verb "exponere," which means 'to place outside.' Especially prevalent in the Naples region of Italy. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: ESPOSTI, ESPOSTO, ESPOSTI, DEGLI ESPOSTI,

    BIANCHI - From "bianco," meaning 'white,' this surname was often given to a person who was white-haired or had a very light complexion. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: BIANCA, BIANCO, BIANCHESSI, BIANCHETTI, BIANCHINI, BIANCIOTTI, BIANCOLINI, BIANCONCINI, BIANCOTTO

    ROMANO - The Italian form of "Romanus," the Latin word for 'Rome,' this popular Italian surname was often used to denote someone from Rome, Italy. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: ROMANI

    COLOMBO - From the word "colombo," meaning 'dove,' Colombo was a name often given to a dove keeper. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: COLOMBANI, COLOMBERA, COLOMBINI, COLOMBRINO

    RICCI - Derived from the Italian adjective" ricco," meaning 'curly,' RICCI and its variations are a nickname for someone with curly hair. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: RICCIO, RIZZI, RIZZO, RIZZA, RISSO, RICCELLI, RICCIARELLI, RICCETTI, RICCINI, RICCIOLI, RICCIOLINO, RICCIULLI, RICCIOTTI, RICCIONI, RICCIUTO, RICCERI, RICCITIELLO, RIZZELLO, RIZZIELLO RIZZETTI, RIZZETTO, RIZZINI, RIZZOLI, RIZZOLA, RIZZOTTI, RIZZONI, RIZZONE, RIZZARI, RIZZATO, RIZZIERI, RIZZUTI, RISSOLO

    MARINO - Derived from the Latin word "marinus," meaning 'of the sea,' the Marino and Marini surnames indicate someone who lives or works near the 'mare,' or sea. Surname Origin: Italian, Spanish
    Alternate Surname Spellings: MARINI, MARIN, MARINELLI, MARINELLA, MARINIELLO, MARINETTI, MARINUZZI, MARINOLLI, MARINOTTI, MARINONI, MARINATO, MARINACCI

    GRECO - Someone who originates from Greece. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: GRIECO, GRECI, GRECHI, GREGO

    BRUNO - From the Italian word for "brown," Bruno was, a nickname for a person with brown hair, skin, or clothes. From the German "brun," meaning dark, brown. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: BRUNI, BRUNA, BRUNAZZI, BRUNELLO, BRUNERI, BRUNONE, BRUNORI

    GALLO - From the Latin "gallus," meaning 'cock, rooster,' this was a nickname for a proud person, especially one with a "cocky" or vain attitude. Surname Origin: Italian, Spanish
    Alternate Surname Spellings: GALLI, GALLETTI, GALLINI, GALLONI, GALLUCCI

    CONTI - From the Old French "conte", meaning count, it denoted a person who worked for a count (noble) or was possibly himself a count. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: CONTE, CONTIELLO

    DE LUCA - A patronymic surname meaning "son of Luca." The given name Luca is the Italian version of Luke, from the Greek name Loukas meaning "from Lucania," a region in Italy. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: DI LUCA, DILUCA

    COSTA - Meaning "coast" or "riverbank," this surname denoted a person who lived by a river or the sea. Surname Origin: Italian, Spanish, Portugese
    Alternate Surname Spellings: DA COSTA, DI COSTA, DE COSTA

    GIORDANO - The Italian form of the name Jordan, this surname has its roots in "Yarden," the Hebrew name of the Jordan river flowing between the countries of Jordan and Israel. Derived from "yarad," meaning 'descend' or 'flow down.' Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: GIORDANI

    MANCINI - From the Italian word "manco," meaning 'left-handed.' Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: MANCINO, MANCINELLI

    RIZZO - A variant of the common Italian surname RICCI, which is derived from the Italian adjective" ricco," meaning 'curly.' In other words, a nickname for someone with curly hair. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: RICCI, RICCIO, RIZZI, RIZZA, RISSO, RICCELLI, RICCIARELLI, RICCETTI, RICCINI, RICCIOLI, RICCIOLINO, RICCIULLI, RICCIOTTI, RICCIONI, RICCIUTO, RICCERI, RICCITIELLO, RIZZELLO, RIZZIELLO RIZZETTI, RIZZETTO, RIZZINI, RIZZOLI, RIZZOLA, RIZZOTTI, RIZZONI, RIZZONE, RIZZARI, RIZZATO, RIZZIERI, RIZZUTI, RISSOLO

    LOMBARDI - A geographical surname for someone who came from Lombardy, a region in Italy which got its name from the Lombards, a Germanic tribe who invaded in the 6th century. Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: LOMBARDO, LOMBARDINI, LOMBARDELLI

    MORETTI - 1- Derived from a diminutive of the given name Mauro, the Italian form of Maurus, meaning "dark-skinned" or used to refer to someone coming from Mauritania in northern Africa. 2- Possibly derived from the word "morro" meaning 'rock.' Surname Origin: Italian
    Alternate Surname Spellings: MORETI, MORO, MORELLI, MORINI, MORUCCI, MORUZZI, MORUCCHIO, MORATELLI, MORISI, MORATTI, MORAZZI, MORASSUTTI, MORESCHI, MORONI

     Unfortunately, the article does not site sources which is disappointing.

    Post a Comment

    Italian Surname Database  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , ,

    Italian Surname LogoThe Italian Surname Database lists hundreds of surnames and contacts for those looking to connect with others researching the same names. To submit your surname to the site, use the feedback form. Include your Surname, Town, Province and Region in Italy you are researching, the name you wish to be known as and a valid email address where you can be contacted.

    Post a Comment

    Exploring the History and Meanings of Italian Surnames  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in ,

    One of the best articles I have read about Italian Surnames was the Life in Italy website and written by By Elizabeth Walling.  A piece extracted from the article follows below.

    Delving into the research of surnames, also known as last names or family names, is an exciting way to learn more about your family history. When researching Italian surnames, you will quickly find that each family name in Italy was formed for a particular purpose. Italy has always been known for its lively and extraordinary land and people, and Italian names exhibit these same qualities.

    In the age of ancient Rome, individuals were named in three parts. These parts included a basic first name, a name in which a person's family was identified, and also a unique name that described that individual. 

    Read the original article...

    Post a Comment

    Italian Surname Locator  

    Posted by: Italian Surname Database in , , ,


    Some of you may recognize this site as the one used by Susan Sarandon on Who Do You Think You Are which aired April 24, 2010.  You plug in your Italian Surname and it will show you the concentration of the surname in various regions throughout Italy.  An excellent resource for beginners and seasoned researchers alike.
    http://gens.labo.net/en/cognomi/

    Post a Comment