I know from general genealogy materials that the origin of surnames came from a variety of sources such as the using the name of the father (Johnson being the son of John and their descendants), occupation or craft (Taylor or Carpenter), the master of the land (ie ancient nobles names for servants om their households to American plantation owners names being given to African slaves from these plantations), or the hamlet the family was originally from (York or Bremerhaven). How much of a tradition in Italy (and for my immediate interest in Sicily) is it for families to have originated their surnames from the community in which they are from?
I was advised of an ancient city in Sicily (no longer on the maps) from which part of my last name could of been developed. But I have a great-grandmother with the surname of Tortorici who I wondered if her familly came from that community even if all the ancestors I can currently trace are from the community of Capri Leone, which really is not that far away in today's standards but was it to far in distant times to be any connection?
Surnames from place names
Surnames from place names
Anthony Philip Camma
Re: Surnames from place names
Yes, a number of family names are derived from the names of towns and cities, but not quite in the way you describe.
When moving into a community, people were often given the names of the places they came from. So using your example of Mr York, he would only have taken on that name when he moved into another town, where identifying him as the man from York served to differentiate him from other people. When he still lived in York, he would have been known by some other name.
When moving into a community, people were often given the names of the places they came from. So using your example of Mr York, he would only have taken on that name when he moved into another town, where identifying him as the man from York served to differentiate him from other people. When he still lived in York, he would have been known by some other name.
Re: Surnames from place names
Dear Deli Boy and what,pray tell is your sources for this information about York or is this merely conjecture and unsubstantiated? Peter
Re: Surnames from place names
A good source for your inquiry concerning place/surname in Italy is www.mayrand.org/meaning-e.htm. Peter
Re: Surnames from place names
If this website does niot come up then go to www.mayrand.org and then select from that site meaning of place names and surnames. Peter
Re: Surnames from place names
Peter,
The principle and the application to Italian genealogy in particular comes from my own personal family history. The example of York was supplied by Anthony.
The principle and the application to Italian genealogy in particular comes from my own personal family history. The example of York was supplied by Anthony.
Re: Surnames from place names
wonderful news but it still has to be substantiated to the inquirer and not a tale told regarding your family that may or may not have substance for his inquiry. I did not mean to impugn your accouint but rather to document it independently. Peter
Re: Surnames from place names
My surname Foligno is spelt the same as the village of Foligno in Italy.
Re: Surnames from place names
Another good site for place names in Italy:ptimber wrote:A good source for your inquiry concerning pace/surname in Italy is www.mayrand.org/meaning-e.htm. Peter
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IT/
Elba.
(also from England...)
Re: Surnames from place names
I've read somewhere that jews living in Italy changed their names because were afraid of being persecuted, especially during WW2. Many took the names of italian cities such as Napoli, Roma, etc.