Malatesta History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsFrom the historical and fascinating Italian region of Venice emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Malatesta family. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adapt 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 common type of family name found in the region of Venice is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, the nickname type of surname is also frequently found. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The surname Malatesta came from a stubborn person. The surname Malatesta is composed of the Italian words mala meaning bad and testa, which signifies head. Early Origins of the Malatesta familyThe surname Malatesta was first found in the city of Rimini, famous today for its summer beach festivities. Records are found with Malatesta del Montefeltro family in 1186, when many members of this family were known as talented soldiers and brave knights. Early History of the Malatesta familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Malatesta research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1312, 1317, 1327, 1368, 1372, 1373, 1414, 1416, 1417, 1433, 1440, 1468 and 1500 are included under the topic Early Malatesta History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Malatesta Spelling VariationsItalian 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 Malatesta include Malatesta and others. Early Notables of the Malatesta familyProminent among members of the family was
A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Malatesta: Malatesta Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
|