The surname David in Sicily.

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JamesBianco
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The surname David in Sicily.

Post by JamesBianco »

Hello all!! I have been working on my grandmother's family from Carini Sicily and came accross an ancestor with a VERY peculiar Italian surname.

DAVID...I first saw it in the Church records, and then found that it was spelled the same way in the Civil Records (Stato). I am back to 1640 and it is still D-A-V-I-D! Has anyone a clue as to it's origins? I am not familiar with Italian/Sicilian surnames ending in a D.

Thanks
Jim Bianco
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Re: The surname David in Sicily.

Post by Essgee »

JamesBianco wrote:Hello all!! I have been working on my grandmother's family from Carini Sicily and came accross an ancestor with a VERY peculiar Italian surname.

DAVID...I first saw it in the Church records, and then found that it was spelled the same way in the Civil Records (Stato). I am back to 1640 and it is still D-A-V-I-D! Has anyone a clue as to it's origins? I am not familiar with Italian/Sicilian surnames ending in a D.

Thanks
Jim Bianco
Have seen the name at Ellis Island...also, have seen the name Davido...looked that up in depth for someone a long time ago. Believe the root is Jewish...but maybe not...though found as a surname in Hebrew groups quite often.

Peter had a very good book on the origin of surnames in Italy...went way back. Perhaps he could give you a clue.

Good Luck
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Re: The surname David in Sicily.

Post by JamesBianco »

Thanks for your reply! I believe it must indicate an origin other than Italian, as the priest and Stato wrote it always DAVID, never with an o or i or anything. I agree it almost would appear to be Jewish but who can say for sure.

:) Jim
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Re: The surname David in Sicily.

Post by suanj »

JamesBianco wrote:Hello all!! I have been working on my grandmother's family from Carini Sicily and came accross an ancestor with a VERY peculiar Italian surname.

DAVID...I first saw it in the Church records, and then found that it was spelled the same way in the Civil Records (Stato). I am back to 1640 and it is still D-A-V-I-D! Has anyone a clue as to it's origins? I am not familiar with Italian/Sicilian surnames ending in a D.

Thanks
Jim Bianco
Hi Jim in Italy exist David surname, and is diffused in Sicily in this towns
http://sicilia.indettaglio.it/ita/cogno ... vid&Modo=E
In an document of 1719 year is mentioned an catholic priest Don (priest title) Michele Angelo DAVID living in Capo Passero(Sicily)
http://web.tiscali.it/portopalo/LaTonnara.htm ,
but, in very ancient document in Messina (Sicily) is mentiond an jew doctor
David around 1490 http://web.genie.it/utenti/e/enigmagalg ... daica.html
David surname is listed as jew surname in Puglia region, please read:

"Abram; Abramo; Annibale; Baruch; Benedetto; Coen; Cola; Criscio; Daniele; David; Elia; Gabriele; Gentile; Iacob; Iosep; Isac; Isach; Leone; Marzullo; Masello; Mometto; Mordecai; Mosè; Moyse; Raffaele; Salomone; Salvagio; Samuele; Santoro; Simone; Vaez; Varone; Ventura; Vitale."
Also this surname is listed as Jew surname in the duchy of Milan (XIV°/XV°/XVI° centuries):
"Aaron; Abarbanel; Aberlino; Abigail; Abraam; Abram; Abramino; Abramo; Achiva; Adam; Agatha; Agin; Agnol; Agnolo; Ahimaaz; Alchana; Alchanna; Alda; Alegra; Alessandro; Aligra; Allegra; Allegrezza; Allegro; Alo; Amade; Amadeo; Amadio; Amandolino; Amante; Angel; Angela; Angelino; Angello; Angelo; Angeloto; Anna; Anselmo; Arje; Armano; Armelina; Aron; Aronne; Audadeo; Averlino; Avitta; Ayem; Aym; Azaria; Azariah; Azriel; Bachi; Bandolino; Barbaroto; Beatrice; Belhomo; Belhuomo; Bella; Bellavigna; Bellina; Bellomo; Benedetto; Benedict; Benedicto; Benedictus; Beniamin; Beniamino; Beniono; Benjamin; Benzion; Benzon; Berla; Bianca; Bignamino; Bona; Bonafe; Bonaiuto; Bonamin; Bonaventura; Bondi; Bonhomo; Bono; Bonomino; Bonomo; Bononio; Borina; Bruneta; Brunetta; Buonhomo; Cafeman; Cajin; Calamano; Caliman; Calimano; Calonymos; Capman; Caracosa; Caradona; Carmini; Carolo; Cervino; Cervio; Cervo; Cesare; Chapomano; Chela; Chiara; Chusi; Cimesono; Claudio; Clemente; Colomba; Colombina; Columba; Columbo; Consalvo; Conscio; Consiglio; Consilio; Consilius; Consolina; Copino; Corona; Crassino; Crassono; Crescenzio; Cresino; Creson; Cressino; Cresso; Cressone; Cressono; Cupino; Curcio; Dabia; Dactilo; Dan; Daniel; Daniele; Daria; dario; Datilo; Datolo; Dattilo; Datulo; David; Davide; Davit; ....."; and more, in 1691 the David family is listed as valdesians in Piedmont:

"Alarin; Albarin; Alliette; Armand; Artus; Baffe; Buffa; Balmas; Bastie; Bastian; Bellin; Bellion; Belonat; Beneich; Benech; Bertalmie; Bertalmio; Bertin; Besson; Bianchis; Bonjour; Breuse; Breuza; Brunet; Buffe; Cairus; Cardon; Cattre; Chauvie; Coing; Cougn; Coisson; Copier; Copero; Chanforan; Charbonnier; Combet; Comba; Dalmas; David; Davit;.. etc"
meaning that many people changing religion...

Also David surname is listed as owner in Cava de' Tirreni (Campania region) in XV° and XVI° centuries:

"Benincasa; Costa; David; de Grimaldo; Mangrella; de Marchisio; de Sauro; Siano; Troisio"...
regards, suanj
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Re: The surname David in Sicily.

Post by JamesBianco »

Thank you Suanj , this is VERY interesting!!


Jim
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Re: The surname David in Sicily.

Post by juanminbar »

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Towns are ordered by province and then by number of occurrences.

In the first column is displayed the estimate of individuals having the given surname with a two decimal digits precision. So a value of 5.76 means that in the given town there are more probabily six individuals having the given surname, rather than five.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.63 Cammarata Ag David
5.26 Gela Cl David
5.28 Zafferana Etnea Ct David
4.80 Catania Ct David
20.09 Villarosa En David
77.27 Messina Me David
9.76 Francavilla di Sicilia Me David
5.26 Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto Me David
4.94 Monforte San Giorgio Me David
4.47 Santa Teresa di Riva Me David
3.89 Santa Marina Salina Me David
3.50 Furnari Me David
161.47 Polizzi Generosa Pa David
147.55 Palermo Pa David
20.40 Castellana Sicula Pa David
9.00 Partinico Pa David
6.77 Santa Flavia Pa David
4.77 San Giuseppe Jato Pa David
4.76 Balestrate Pa David
4.66 Valledolmo Pa David
4.64 Cinisi Pa David
4.40 Lascari Pa David
4.39 Campofelice di Roccella Pa David
3.79 Carini Pa David
1.34 Termini Imerese Pa David
3.86 Ragusa Rg David
33.75 Melilli Sr David
14.57 Siracusa Sr David
4.34 Augusta Sr David
4.37 Alcamo Tp David

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Re: The surname David in Sicily.

Post by vjean2 »

I have a David Surname in my ancestry. I have a Pantina marring a Gandolfa David in 1853. Gandolfa's parents (i believe) are Michele David and Gandolfa Ilarda. this is from Polizzi Generosa, Palermo, Sicily.
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Re: The surname David in Sicily.

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My family background is not Italian, but German. The surname DAVID also exists in my family, going back to 1718. His full name was Johann David and he was born in the Rhineland. The spelling of the surname remained exactly the same generation after generation until this day. From the limited information I've seen on the web, there is a strong Welsh tradition of the father's first name becoming the son's surname. So, a man with the surname DAVID would have had a father with the first name David at some time in the past. I wonder if this tradition could have existed in other European countries. Also, I wonder if DAVID originated from the Latin Davidus, which might have existed in the aftermath of the Roman Empire throughout western Europe. Apparently, there is also a branch of DAVID in Louisiana with a web presence that has a French-Canadian background. I used the Church of Latter Day Saints website to research my tree, and there may be some entries for DAVID based in Italy.
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Re: The surname David in Sicily.

Post by suanj »

jd123 wrote:My family background is not Italian, but German. The surname DAVID also exists in my family, going back to 1718. His full name was Johann David and he was born in the Rhineland. The spelling of the surname remained exactly the same generation after generation until this day. From the limited information I've seen on the web, there is a strong Welsh tradition of the father's first name becoming the son's surname. So, a man with the surname DAVID would have had a father with the first name David at some time in the past. I wonder if this tradition could have existed in other European countries. Also, I wonder if DAVID originated from the Latin Davidus, which might have existed in the aftermath of the Roman Empire throughout western Europe. Apparently, there is also a branch of DAVID in Louisiana with a web presence that has a French-Canadian background. I used the Church of Latter Day Saints website to research my tree, and there may be some entries for DAVID based in Italy.
Hi: in my previous message are " in very ancient document in Messina (Sicily) is mentiond an jew doctor David around 1490 , and in this age the jews spanish come in Italy from Spain... I think that David was an first name of jew spanish, and after become surname..
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Re: The surname David in Sicily.

Post by JamesBianco »

jd123 wrote: Hi: in my previous message are " in very ancient document in Messina (Sicily) is mentiond an jew doctor David around 1490 , and in this age the jews spanish come in Italy from Spain... I think that David was an first name of jew spanish, and after become surname..
suanj

I agree Suanj, and this is so VERY interesting!!! I just found a Greek woman marrying into my Sicily line in the 1600's. I think you are correct about the origin, sicily was conquered so many times.

James :)
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Santa Teresa Di riva

Post by carmelo »

Is anyone from Santa Teresa Di Riva. I am trying to get in touch with a cousin there, its a small town so if anyone has any contacts from the town it would be helpful. tx
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