De or Di Antonini

[Antonini De]

The first ancestor of my wife known is fencing master Franciscus de Antoninis, that lived in the city of Nyen, now under St. Petersburg, between 1665-1701 then moved into Stockholm as documented in the archives.He is by the family tradition known being from Italy, of a condottieri family. He should have arrived via the Netherlands, and there family is known at least by Bernardo di Antonini, a tradesman that traded with Courland and is documented in Archief of Amsterdam, and with business connections in Padova. He is documented as being from Trento. But this is all we know now. How should we go on? He could be related with the Papafava Antonini dei Carraresi and/ or di Antonini large military family in Venice. "S" on the family name maybe due to the different spelling variations in Belgium, Holland, German etc. languages.

[Antonini De]

The de Antonini is now suggested being from Rovereto, there the Antoninis are known since the 15th century. It would fit fine, as the Antoninis traded silk cloth from there to the Baltic and Dutch harbours at least. This origin is very near now as the local knowledge is available by the genealogists. But if any knowledge more, we would be thankful.