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    Sicilian surnames.

    Sicilian surnames are those found in the region of Sicily in Italy, as well as in some parts of the rest of the country and the Italian diaspora. Sicily is the Italian region with the highest percentage of native population, and nearly 90 percent of its surnames are family names typical of the island.[1]

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    History of Sicilian surnamesHistory of Sicilian surnames

    The history of Sicily is that of a region or a continent, as we like to call it because of its complexity and variety, in which over the centuries many populations have succeeded one another, leaving indelible traces everywhere. [2]

    The etymology of Sicilian surnames reflects the different presences that have succeeded one another over the centuries. Thus, one can recognize surnames of Greek, Latin, Byzantine, Arabic, Norman, Germanic, Central-Northern Italian, Albanian, Spanish and toponymic origin[1]

    Sicilian surnames conventionsSicilian surnames conventions

    The origins of Sicilian surnames derive mainly from personal names, so-called patronymics, but also from trades, nicknames and places of origin.[1]

    • Onomastic (coming from a proper name)
    • Locative (from a place of origin),
    • Derived from an occupational origin
    • Qualifying adjectives describing a person

    Among the Sicilian surnames are very common the ones with the articles La, Lo and Li. Also, the prefixation of some surnames should be mentioned; they are exclusively Sicilian In-, Inter- and Intra- and indicate membership or entry into a family Intraina, Incorvaia, Ingrassia, Interbartolo, Interdonato, Interguglielmi, Interlando, Internicola, Intersimone, Intraguglielmo, Intraliggi (‘of Luigi’).

    Sicilian surnames coming from a proper nameSicilian surnames coming from a proper name

    It is argued that the most common Sicilian surnames are derived from a given name; a significant number begin with the possessive Di, which means "of". Some Sicilian surnames derived from a given name are the following:[1]

    Sicilian surnames of occupational originSicilian surnames of occupational origin

    There are quite a few Sicilian surnames based on the occupation of the first bearer,[1] like the ones listed below:

    Sicilian surnames from nicknames or qualifying adjectivesSicilian surnames from nicknames or qualifying adjectives

    Some Sicilian surnames are based on descriptive aspects of a person,[1] like the following:

    Sicilian surnames for foundling kidsSicilian surnames for foundling kids

    The richness of Sicilian surnames extends to even those whose original bearer had no known biological parents,[1] like the following:

    Sicilian surnames of toponymic originSicilian surnames of toponymic origin

    As intra-Italian migration increased since the reunification of Italy, some surnames were based on the bearer's place of origin,[1] like the following:

    Sicilian surnames of noble originSicilian surnames of noble origin

    Sicily had a robust aristocracy under the Normans and Spanish. The surnames below have been associated with noble titles and land ownership:

    • Moncada – Catalan-Spanish noble house in Sicily
    • Ventimiglia – historic noble family of Genoese origin
    • Branciforte – powerful Sicilian family with deep Spanish ties
    • Paternò – one of Sicily’s most prominent feudal dynasties
    • Gravina – from noble families in both Sicily and Naples
    • Alliata – ancient noble lineage in Palermo
    • Filangeri – from French Foulques, medieval knights
    • Corvaia – prominent Taormina family
    • Spadafora – noble family name, possibly “sword-bearing”
    • Crisafi – tied to noble holdings in eastern Sicily

    Sicilian surnames linked the auspicious namesSicilian surnames linked the auspicious names

    There are a number of Sicilian surnames originated in the Middle Ages, which are based on auspicious names,[1] like Bongiorno (good morning), Bonasera (good night), Bonfiglio (good son), Bonanno (good year), Bonsignore (good Sir), Bonaccorso, Bellomo (handsome man);

    Sicilian most widespread surnamesSicilian most widespread surnames

    The most common Sicilian surnames[1] are known to be Biondi and its many variants ranging from Biondo to Bionda, from Biondelli to Biondini and Bionducci, probably related to trichological features. Bivona, Barbagallo - from east Sicily, derived, probably, from somatic characteristics of the progenitor or hairstyles with the bizarre shape of the rooster's crest - Ingrassia and Ingarsia – spread in the area of Trapani, Palermo and Catania probably arriving from an Italian version of the Spanish surname Garcia that is the most spread surname in Spain.

    Also, the following Sicilian surnames are widely known:[4] Marino; Giordano; Ferrante; Russo; Gambino; Arena; Cucinotta; Donato; Giuffrida; Grasso; Rizzo; Caruso; Privitera; Savoca; Di Dio; Messina; Amico; Falzone; Lombardo; Vella; Romano; Bottaro; Greco; Occhipinti; Gurrieri; Bonsignore; Bellomo; Cavallaro; Finocchiaro; Spadaro; Di Stefano; Pappalardo.

    Sicilian surnames of foreign originSicilian surnames of foreign origin

    The geographical position of Sicily as a Mediterranean crossroads has the island witness to a complex sequence of invaders from the 8th century BC until the Unification of Italy in 1859; as a result, many surnames attesting this sequence can be found in Sicily.

    Sicilian surnames from Greek originSicilian surnames from Greek origin

    Some Sicilian surnamed originated in the centuries-long Greek occupation of Sicily, and are easily identifiable by their unusual ending, like -ò, mainly for nicknames Cannavò (grey the hemp colour), Spanò (hairless), Crifò (hide, secret), Sgrò and Isgrò (curly) and Aricò (wild).

    There are also other Sicilian surnames of Greek origin ending with -à, related to occupational and individual qualities: Cannistrà (basket producers), Laganà (herbes vendor) and Saccà ‘(bags bearer), as well as surnames of toponymic origin, some of these finishing with -eo (as Messineo ‘from Messina’ or Cutruneo ‘from Crotone’), finishing with -iti (as Pelleriti ‘from Pellaro-Reggio Calabria, Paterniti ‘from Paternò) finishing with -oti and -otti (Sidoti ‘from Scido, Minioto from Mineo..) and those finishing with -itano (Gancitano from Gangi or Sciacchitano from Sciacca)

    Sicilian surnames of Arabic originSicilian surnames of Arabic origin

    The island of Sicily was under Arab control between the years 831 and 1091, which left a mark on the island's language and culture. Among the surnames of Arabian origin the most common in Sicily are:

    Famous people with Sicilian surnamesFamous people with Sicilian surnames

    Novel writer Andrea Camilleri.

    In Sicily were born:[5]

    • Andrea Camilleri: Italian writer (Porto Empedocle, Agrigento, 1925 - Rome 2019).[6] Camilleri made his debut in fiction with the novel “Il corso delle cose” (1978). In 1994, with “La forma dell’acqua”, he started the successful series of Commissario Montalbano, continued with numerous novels and short stories that became a very famous TV series.
    • John Travolta - American actor, dancer and singer. famous for the movies Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction, Hairspray and American Gigolo
    • Liza Minnelli- American actress, singer and dancer, recipient of an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, an Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and four Tony Awards
    Domenico Dolce, fashion designer.
    • Frank Capra: Film director,[6] naturalized U.S. citizen, born in Bisacquino (Palermo) May 18, 1897, and died in La Quinta (California) Sept. 3, 1991. Capturing the moods of his time, he contrasted the corruption of political and economic power with the resilience and rebellion of the individual, the bearer of those traditional values thought to be typical of provincial America. And he turned the ordinary, shy and fragile man (preferably played by James Stewart or Gary Cooper) into the hero of his socially oriented comedies. Hailed in the 1930s and 1940s as Hollywood's most beloved director, whose name was a guarantee of success confirmed by the Oscars he won and by critical acclaim, he was later pointed to as the originator of a cinema bent on exploiting the corny sentimentality and facile demagoguery characteristic of what came to be called the Capracorn era.
    • Domenico Dolce: Italian fashion designer born in 1958 in Polizzi Generosa, Palermo.[6] After approaching the fashion world at a very young age working in his father's clothing company, he moved to Milan in 1980. In 1981 he met S. Gabbana (v.) with whom, in 1984, he opened a style consulting firm. In 1985 Dolce and Gabbana presented their first women's ready-to-wear collection at Milano Collezioni Nuovi talenti. From the very beginning, Domenico's origins have influenced the style of the label, which has among its common threads the warm, Mediterranean femininity of Sicilian women.

    See alsoSee also

    Explore more about Sicilian surnamesExplore more about Sicilian surnames

    References

    1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 https://archeologiasicilia.wordpress.com/2020/10/21/i-cognomi-greci-di-sicilia/
    2. ↑ https://ilsicilia.it/alla-scoperta-dei-cognomi-siciliani/
    3. ↑ If you’re named after a Sicilian City
    4. ↑ https://ilsicilia.it/alla-scoperta-dei-cognomi-siciliani/
    5. ↑ https://www.italybyevents.com/sicilia/chi-e-nato-in-sicilia-personaggi-famosi/
    6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 https://www.treccani.it
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