The Prefix CAI

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scorpione
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The Prefix CAI

Post by scorpione »

Any theories as to the meaning of the Prefix"Cai". I note it is quite common in southern Italy(Caivano,Caianello,Caiazzo). Also would you guess it is a prefix in the Italian language or from another language. Thanks .
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elba
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Re: The Prefix CAI

Post by elba »

The only thing I found was in 'De Mauro' and it was in capital letters....
CAI = Club Alpino Italiano.

But that doesn't fit with your observations.

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Re: The Prefix CAI

Post by ricbru »

scorpione wrote:Any theories as to the meaning of the Prefix"Cai". I note it is quite common in southern Italy(Caivano,Caianello,Caiazzo). Also would you guess it is a prefix in the Italian language or from another language. Thanks .
Hello,
I guess that the only way to know etimology of Caiazzo, Caianello and Caivano is to contact each local library and request a little research
bye Riccardo
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suanj
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Re: The Prefix CAI

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scorpione wrote:Any theories as to the meaning of the Prefix"Cai". I note it is quite common in southern Italy(Caivano,Caianello,Caiazzo). Also would you guess it is a prefix in the Italian language or from another language. Thanks .
cai normally in italian coming from latin name caius, but not always in fact for:

Caiazzo= the town have origin from Osci people that call this place: Kahata, and in the time the name become Kaiata, Kaiatia, Caiatia, until modern Caiazzo; is unknown the meaning, but probable was the first people resident in the place...

instead from:


Caianello= Caianum,=Caio town( Caio was a roman consul)

Caivano= from Calvius roman people(gens)
regards, suanj
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scorpione
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Re: The Prefix CAI

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Many thanks to Suarj and Ricbru for their help with the prefix Cai.I shall probably be in and around Caivano,Pontelatone and Formicola sometime in 2007 and will certainly check out the local libraries as well as the local parishes etc while continuing my research into my grandfather's history . I have wondered all my life if the word Caivano had an Italian translation but have never found one.The only info I found on the history of Caivano ,the city, is that a Roman nobleman Calvinium,I think, owned a large estate with that name and in time the name was given to the whole area and as Italian replaced Latin ,Calvinium became Caivano.

By the way does anybody have an idea why there would be 2 towns called Caivano.There is a big one near Naples and a smaller hamlet of Caivano near Ruoti in Province of Potenza.Why would there be need for another.I can see why popular names like Kingston(Kings Town ) etc would be used for many cities . But why Caivano.? The more one learns the more he sees how little he knows. Thanks again .
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Re: The Prefix CAI

Post by suanj »

In italy are many hamleth with same name, but in different towns, Caivano hamleth of Ruoti town, is different from caivano town in Naples province; for sure Caivano town is the first place Caivano called; the Ruoti hamleth i don't know, but because is a rural hamleth and Caivano is also a surname, most probable the hamleth name have some link with the Caivano surname.. regards, suanj
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