Calvani History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

From the ancient and picturesque Italian region of Lombardy emerged a variety of distinguished names, including the notable surname Calvani. 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 Lombardy 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 Calvani family lived in Milan since the 12th century.

Early Origins of the Calvani family

The surname Calvani was first found in the 12th century, when the Calvelli family lived in Milan.

Early History of the Calvani family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Calvani research. The years 1390, 1396, 1400, 1405, 1651, 1710, 1771 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Calvani History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calvani 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 Calvani include Calvi, Calvo, Calvelli, Calvèlli, Calvello, Calvèllo, Calvento, Calvetti, Calvètti, Calviètti, Calvietti, Calvini, Calvino, Calvillo, Calvani, Calvano, Calvanelli, Calvanèlli, Calvagno, Calvagna, Calveri, Calvèri, Calvosa and many more.

Early Notables of the Calvani family

Prominent among bearers of this family in early times was Antonio Calvi of Rome who lived during the 14th century and was a lawyer. In 1405 he was made a Cardinal of the city. Antonio Calvi of Rome was Bishop of Imola in 1390 and then of Todi in 1396, and was made Cardinal in 1405. The Calvelli family in Sicily acquired many ancient Greek castles, produced 10 barons, and were recognized as nobility in Aragona, Milan, Venice, and Palermo. Agostino Calvi was a famous painter in Genoa around...
Another 88 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Calvani Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calvani migration to the United States +

Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Calvani or a variant listed above:

Calvani Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Antonio Calvani, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Caglia Pesaro, Italy, in 1909
Vincenzo Calvani, aged 16, who settled in America from Sgurgola, Italy, in 1910
Pietro Calvani, aged 27, who settled in America from Sarnano, Italy, in 1911
Luigi Calvani, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Foiano, Italy, in 1911
Leonardo Calvani, aged 17, who landed in America from Sgurgola, Italy, in 1912
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Calvani (post 1700) +

Terry Calvani (b. 1947), American lawyer, former government officer and university professor
Luca Calvani (b. 1974), Italian actor
Sandro Calvani (b. 1952), Italian Director of the ASEAN Regional Centre of Excellence on Millennium Development Goals (ARCMDG)
Mayra Calvani (b. 1967), Puerto-Rican writer