Show ContentsBassignani History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

From the ancient and picturesque Italian region of Venice emerged a variety of distinguished names, including the notable surname Bassignani. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Venice is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, but does not necessarily denote nobility. The Bassignani family lived in Verona in 1279, when Daniele Basso was councilor of this city.

Early Origins of the Bassignani family

The surname Bassignani was first found in Verona in 1279, when Daniele Basso was councillor of this city.

Early History of the Bassignani family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bassignani research. The years 1669, 1717, 1766, 1784 and 1825 are included under the topic Early Bassignani History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bassignani Spelling Variations

Italian surnames come in far more variations than the names of most other nationalities. Regional traditions and dialects are a decisive factor in this characteristic. For example, northern names tend to end in "o", while southern in "i". Also important, but not unique to Italy, was the fact that before dictionaries and the printing press most scribes simply spelled words according to their sounds. The predictable result was an enormous number of spelling variations. The recorded spellings of Bassignani include Bassa, Basso, Bassi, Bassoli, Basta, Bassolino and many more.

Early Notables of the Bassignani family

Prominent among members of the family was

  • Giovanni Bassignani (1669-1717), an Italian architect and engineer of the late-Baroque

Migration of the Bassignani family

Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Bassignani or a variant listed above: Antonio Basso, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1875, and B.B. Basso, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1823 at the age of 24.



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