The Donofrio/Caggiano Genealogy - The Origins of the Family Names
Chapter 1 - The Origins of the Family Names
This chapter is devoted to understanding the meaning of our surnames, or family names. Often, this give us clues to what our family did many generations ago. The etymology (the origin and development of the surname) of each name is usually very interesting. Some date back to biblical times, while others date from the Middle Ages. Surnames derive from many different origins. Usually, a name is derived from the father (a patronymic), a location (a toponym), the type of work a person did (an occupational name), a religious name, a nickname, or a prominent feature or characteristic of a person.
In order to help understand this section better, some definitions are included here.
Surname: 1. The family name, or last name, as distinguished from a given name. (The prefix sur- is a prefix meaning over, upon, above, beyond. Thus a surname is a name given above and beyond a first name.) (Ref. 6, pg. 1433 and pg. 1431)
Patronymic: 1. Derived from the name of a father or ancestor. 2. A name showing descent from a father or ancestor shown by the addition of a prefix or suffix. 3. A family name or surname. (Ref. 6, p. 1042)
Italian patronymics are shown by the prefix De or d'. This is a contraction for the word "de", which means "Of." This is used to designate "son of," as in DeLorenzo (Son of Lorenzo).
Matronymic: 1. Of or derived from the name of the mother or a female ancestor. 2. a matronymic name. (Ref. 6, p. 875).
Toponym: 1. A name that indicates origin, natural, locale, etc. (Ref. 6, p. 1500)
Hypocoristic: 1. a pet name, a diminutive name, or a term of endearment. (Ref. 6, p. 691)
Metonym: 1. a word or phrase used ... as a substitute for another. (Ref. 6, p. 895)
Some terms dealing with the names given to the ancient Romans:
Gens-name: This is a name given to a family in ancient Roman. The definition of a gens is:
Gens: 1. in ancient Rome, a clan united by descent through the male line from a common ancestor and having both name and religious observances in common. (Ref. 6, p. 583)
Praenomen: 1. The first or personal name of an ancient Roman, preceding the nomen and cognomen (Example: Marcus Tullius Cicero). (The name is derived from the Latin prae-, meaning before or in front of, and Nomen, meaning name.) (Ref. 6, pg. 1118)
Nomen: 1. The second of the three names of an ancient Roman, following the praenomen and preceding the cognomen (Example: Marcus Tullius Cicero). (Ref. 6, pg. 965)
Cognomen: 1. The third or family name of an ancient Roman (example: Marcus Tillius Cicero).
2. Any family name; surname; last name. 3. any name; especially a nickname. (Ref. 6, pg. 276)
Albanese
1. Albanese (Italian): One who came from Albania (meaning Hill, White) (Ref. 1, page 4).2. Albanese also had a military origin, meaning light cavalryman. These soldiers used to be Albanians, hence the name (Ref. 2, page 161).
3. Albanésè. Varianti: Albanési. // Diffuso, e molto comune, nel Sud, raro nell'Italia centro-sett., è derivato do un secondo nome o soprannome formato dall'etnico Albanése "abitante, oriundo dell'Albania", o anche, nel Sud, "appartenente alle colonie albanesi" (esistenti in Abruzzo, Puglie, Campania, Calabria e Sicilia). (Ref. 3, page 48). / 3. Albanese. Variations: Albanesi. Widespread, and very common, in the south, rarer in central-north Italy, and derived from a second name or nickname formed from the ethnic Albanese "inhabitant, native of Albania," or also, in the south, "member of the colony albanesi." (Name exists in the Italian regions of Abruzzo, Puglia, Campania, Calabria and Sicily.)
Amatucci
1. Amato (Italian): Descendant of Amato (beloved). (Ref. 1, page 7)2. Amato. Variante: Amati, Amat, Amata; D'Amato. Alterati e derivati: Amatucci, Amatulli. // Cognome diffuso prev. nel Sud, con massima frequenza nel Napoletano e in Sicilia, ma rappresentato in alcune forme anche nell'Italia centrale e del Nord. È la congnominizzazione del nome Amato che in parte continua il personale latino Amatus "amato" e, in età e ambienti cristiani, "amato, protetto da Dio", in parte ha alla base, come soprannome, amato (come documentano le forme medioevali l'Amato e l'Amata), in parte può anche essere l'abbreviazione di Benamato. (Ref. 3, page 54) / 2. Amato. Surname widespread predominately in the South, with maximum frequency in the Naples region and in Sicily, but also represented in some forms in central and northern Italy. It is a derived cognomen (surname) of the name Amato, which comes from the personal Latin name Amatus "amato" and in the Christian age "amato, protected by God". It is partly based on the nickname, amato (which is documented in the Middle Ages in the form l'Amato and l'Amata). It may also be partly derived as an abbreviation of the name Benamato.
Ardito (Idedo)
1. Arditi. Varianti: Ardito, Ardìt. // Distribuito in tutta l'Italia, ma comune solo nelle Venezie (dove è specifico Ardìt) e nel Sud, ha alla base il nome già medioevale Ardito, formato dall'agg. ardito "molto coraggioso, audace". (Ref. 3, page 60). / 1. Arditi. Distributed throughout Italy, but common only in the Venice area (where it is spelled specifically Ardìt) and in the south, and the name has its basis in the former medieval name Ardito, formed from the adjective ardito, meaning "very corageous and brave."Barba
1. Barba1. Varianti: Barbi, Barbis; Della Barba. Alterati e Derivati: Barbèlla, Barbétta e Barbétti, ____ Composti: ______// Diffuso, con varia distribuzione e frequenza secondo i vari tipi, in tutta l'Italia, ma prev. in quella sett., è la congominizzazione di soprannomi già comuni nell'alto Medio Evo che denominavano la persona per le caratteristiche di avere la barba o un particolare tipo di barba (formati cioè da barba, barbétta, barbàccia, ecc., o da barbato, barbuto, barbóne, "che ha la barba", o da barbìs, barbisìn che in alcuni dialetti sett. indica le basette e i baffi, o da barbòzza, che indica anche il mento). In alcuni casi non è possibile distiguere alcuni cognomi qui elencati da quelli formalmente identici e analoghi riuniti sotto Barba2. Inoltre Barbone e Barboni possono appartenere al tipo autonomo Barbóne. (Ref. 3, page 69) / 1. Barba. Widespread, with various distribution and frequency according to several types throughout Italy, but predominant in northern Italy. It iz a derived cognomen (surname) of the nickname common in the later Middle Ages for people who had the characteristic of a beard or a particular type of beard (such as a goatee, little beard, etc. or derived from barbato, barbuto, barbóne, "he who is bearded", or from barbìs, barbisìn, words that in some northern dialects means "whiskers" or "moustache", or from barbòzza, which means "chin"). In some cases it is not possible to distinguish between the surnames listed here from the identical and analogous names grouped under the second definition, Barba2. Furthermore, Barbone and Barboni may possibly belong to the separate name Barbóne.2. Barba2. Varianti: De Barba, Del Barba; Barbano, Barbana, Barbani e Barbàn. Alterati e Derivati: Barbanèlli, Barbanòtti; Barbanti e Barbantini, Barbanènte. Composti: ______// Diffuso nell'Italia sett. e mer. peninsulare, ha alla base il soprannome Barba o Barbano (nel Nord Barbàn), formato dal sost. barba (e ant. barbano), sinonimo di "zio" nelle parlate regionali sett. e mer., spec. in Puglia e nel Salento. Questo termine (che può essere di origine germanica ma può anche derivare da barba "uomo con la barba, anziano e autorevole") si è diffuso dal Nord al Sud in età longobardica con la tipica declinazione germ. latinizzata in -a, -anis (barba, caso retto, e barbana, caso obliquo), ed è documentato sin dal IX secolo come nome comune (barba, barbas, barbane), e dopo il Mille come soprannome e poi cognome (Barba, Barbaneus, Barbane), nel Veneto, in Toscana, e nel Lazio, in Campania, in Lucania e nelle Puglie. Il tipo Barbanti può anche avere alla base, nel Nord, barbante, "pastore protestante valdese" o [frate] barbante "frate cercatore, che fa la questua". (Ref. 3, pages 69-70) / 2. Barba. Widespread throughout Italy in the northern and southern penisula, and comes from the nickname barba "beard" or Barbano (in the north Barbàn) formed from the noun barba (and antonym? Barbano), a synonym of "uncle" used in southern and northern regional dialects, especially in Puglia and in the Salento. The term (which may be of Germanic origin but also may be derived from barba, "man with the beard, old, senior, and authoritative") was diffused from the north to the south in the Longobardica age (the Lombard age was in the early Middle Ages, in the 6th and 7th centuries, when the Lombards, a Germanic tribe ruled Italy) with a typical declension with Latin base ending with a suffix of -a or -anis (barba, a straight case, and barbana, an oblique case), and is documented as far back as the 9th century with the common names (barba, barbas, barbane), and after the year 1000 as a nickname and then a surname (Barba, Barbaneus, Barbane), in Veneto, Tuscany, Latium, Campania, Lucania and in the Apulia. The type Barbanti may also be based in the north on barbante, "a Protestant Waldanese pastor" or friar barbante "the searching friar, who does the church collection." (The Waldenses were a sect of dissenters from the Roman Catholic Church which arose about 1170 in Southern France. They were excommunicated in 1184, and they survive in the Alps of France and in Italy. They are named after Peter Waldo, a 12th century French merchant and founder of the sect. Ref. 6, p. 1597).
3. Barba (Spanish): One with hair on his chin, a beard; one who came from Barba (beard), in Spain. (Ref. 1, page 21)
Battinelli
1. No definitive information has been found yet on this name.Biscante
1. Visconte (Italian): from Italian visconte, a title of rank (med. Latin vicecomes deputy of a Count). Unusually (since most noble families took their surnames from their estates), the surname was sometimes of literal application, but it is also no doubt in part a nickname for someone who gave himself airs and graces, and in part an occupational name for someone employed by a viscount. Variations: Visconti; Bisconti (S. Italy), Viceconte, Viceconti (learned alterations).The Viscontis were rulers of Milan for almost 200 years, from 1277 to 1447, and took their name from their hereditary office. They traced their descent from Desiderius, whose daughter married Charlemagne. They were related to the royal houses of Valois, Tudor, and Habsburg as a result of marriages arranged by Duke Gian Visconti (1351-1402). His son was the last of the direct line, and in 1447 the Duchy passed to the Sforza family. (Ref. 4, page 557).
2. Viscónti. Varianti: Viscónte, Biscónti, Vicecónti e Vicecónte. // Diffuso in tutta l'Italia nella forma base Visconti, nel Sud in tutte le altre, è la cognominizzazione del titolo di ufficio e di grado feudale viscónte (dal latino medioevale vicecomes vicecomitis, formato da vice- "in luogo, in sostituzione di..." e comes comitis "conte", v. Cónti: la variante notarile Viceconte riflette appunto la forma del latino medioevale), che, a partire dall'età carolingia, indicò l'alto dignitario eletto dal conte, e successivamente dal vescovo-conte, come proprio sostituto e rappresentante, investito di vari poteri e benefici, e che divenne più tardi, con l'ereditarietà dell'ufficio, titolo nobiliare. Come per Cónti, Duca, Marchési, Prìcipe, ecc., il cognome Visconti solo rarissimamente riflette tuttavia questo ufficio o titolo: per lo più ha alla base un soprannome o un appellativo dato a chi viveva o lavorava presso un visconte. (Ref. 3, page 263). / 2. Visconti. Widespread throughout Italy in the base form Visconti, in the south in all other variations. The name is the official title of the feudal rank visconte (which comes from the medevial Latin vicecomes, vicecomitis, derived from vice-, "one who acts in the place of, or is the substitute of" and from comitis "count". Compare with the name Cònti. The notarial variation Viceconte reflects the mark of the Latin medevial form), which started in the Age of Charlemange (Charlemange, king of the Franks, defeated the Lombards in 774 and became ruler of Italy and protector of the Papal states). The name indicates a high elected dignitary of the count, and successively from bishop-count, who substituted and represented the count, and later it became a noble title of the office and became hereditary. Like the names Cónti (Count), Duca (Duke), Marchési (Marquis), Prìcipe (Prince), etc., the name Visconti only rarely reflects this one office or title, for it more often has a basis in a nickname or was given as a name to someone who lived or worked near a Visconte.
Brindisi
1. Brindise, Brindisi (Italian): One who came from Brindisi (meaning, "a toast, a drink in honor of someone"), in Italy. (Ref. 1, page 60)Busco
1. Bosco (Italian): Dweller in, or near, a woods. (Ref. 1, page 52)2. Bòsco. Varianti: Bòschi e Bòsca, Busco e Busca; Del Bòsco; Boscovich [pron. bòskovic]. Alterati e Derivati: Boschèllo, Boschètto e Boschètti, Boschini e Boschìn, Bòscolo; Boscaro e Boscari, Boscarèllo, Boscarino, Boscarini e Boscarìn, Buscarino e Buscarini, Buscaino e Boscaìn, Buscaìno, Boscoriòlo e Boscoriòl, Boscaròli e Boscaròl, Boscarato, Boschèro e Boschièro, Boschièri, Boschièr, Boscherini; Boscàglia e Buscàglia, Buscagliòne, Boscassi, Boscato. // Diffuso variamente in tutta l'Italia secondo le varie forme: Bosco e Boschi sono più frequenti in Liguria, in Emilia, in Toscana e nel Napoletano; Bòscolo, che ha l'epicentro a Chioggia, le forme tronche, Boscorato e il patronimico di tipo slavo Boscovich sono propri del Veneto e del Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Alla base sono toponimi del tipo Bòsco (Bòschi, Boschétto, Boscàglia, ecc.) largamente distrubuiti nell'Italia sett. e centrale, con i relativi etnici, oppure nomi e soprannomi professionali del Medio Evo connessi con il lavorare, e con il vivere, nei boschi (e con le caratteristiche che ne derivano: "persona scontrosa, rozza"), come boscarino (e in forme dialetti boscaìn, buscaién) o boschèro, "boscaiolo". (Ref. 3, page 85). / 1. Bosco. Widespread variations throughout Italy, according to the various forms. Bosco and Boschi is more frequent in Liguria, Emilia, Toscany, and in the Naples region. Boscola, which is centered in Chioggia, the truncated forms, Boscorato, and the Slavic patronymic Boscovich is found in Veneto and in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The basis of the name is a toponym of the type Bòsco (Bòschi, Boschétto, Boscàglia, etc.) is broadly distributed in northern and central Italy, and has relatively ethnic origins, or else it is the name and professional nickname of the Middle Ages, related to the work, and with life in the woods (and the derivations of the characteristic "a cross or irritable person, a rough person") as in boscarino (and in the dialect form boscaìn, buscaién) or boschèro, "a woodcutter."
Bucci