Dini History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

A variety of distinguished and notable names have emerged from the beautiful and historical Italian region of Tuscany, including the notable surname Dini. During the Middle Ages, as populations grew and travel between regions became more frequent, the people of Tuscany, who were originally known only by a single name, found it necessary to adopt a second name to identify themselves and their families. This process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries, but it was not completed until the modern era. The development of Italian hereditary surnames followed general principles and were characterized by derivatives from one's given name. The patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, was one of the most common name types found in the region of Tuscany. This system of name-making was widely used because it linked well with the existing Feudal System and during the Christian era, many people named their children after saints and biblical figures. The surname Dini came from the name Dino, which is in turn a pet form of many personal names with the ending "dino" or "dini."

Early Origins of the Dini family

The surname Dini was first found in Florence (Italian: Firenze), where records date back to the year 1283, when Taddeo Dini dedicated his life to the Catholic Church.

Early History of the Dini family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dini research. The years 1621, 1625, 1670 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Dini History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dini Spelling Variations

Surnames that originated in Italy are characterized by an enormous number of spelling variations. Some of these are derived from regional traditions and dialects. Northern names, for instance, often end in "o", while southern names tend to end in "i". Other variations come from the fact the medieval scribes tended to spell according to the sound of words, rather than any particular set of rules. The recorded variations of Dini include Dini, Dino, Dinelli, Dinello, and Dinissiaco. and others.

Early Notables of the Dini family

Prominent among members of the family was

Giovanni Dini, a Florentine politician during the 14th century. Pietro Dini was an ecclesiastic in Florence during the 16th century
Pietro di Agostino Dini was archbishop of Fermo from 1621 to 1625
Pietro Francesco Dini of Siena was a nobleman and a lawyer around 1670
Antonio Dini of Rome was an art teacher in 1700

Migration of the Dini family

In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Dini Abdo Dini, who arrived at Ellis Island from Saidneya, Turkey in 1914; Alberto Dini, aged 42, who arrived at Ellis Island in 1892; and Cemira Dini, aged 43, who arrived at Ellis Island in 1895..

Contemporary Notables of the name Dini (post 1700) +

Paul Dini (b. 1957), American writer and producer
Ulisse Dini (1845-1918), Italian mathematician and politician, eponym of Dini's theorem
Lamberto Dini (b. 1931), Italian politician and economist, the 75th Prime Minister and Foreign Minister
Dini Petty (b. 1945), Canadian television and radio host