Bigio History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

The distinguished surname Bigio can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Venice. 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 were characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. 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. During the Middle Ages, Italians adopted the patronymic system of name-making because it perfectly complemented the prevailing Feudal System. In Italy the popularity of patronymic type of surname is also due to the fact that during the Christian era, people often named their children after saints and biblical figures. The surname Bigio came from the personal name "Bixio." The original Latin form Bixius means gray, and would have been given to someone who had gray hair or a gray beard, or who habitually dressed in gray.

Early Origins of the Bigio family

The surname Bigio was first found in the city of Correggio, which lies east of Parma. It was in Correggio that Pietro Bisi was a knight in 1504. A few years later, Lodovico Bisi of Ferrara, a commander for the archbishop of Colonia in the 16th century.

Early History of the Bigio family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bigio research. The years 1568, 1611, 1662, 1787 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Bigio History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bigio Spelling Variations

Enormous variation in spelling and form characterizes those Italian names that originated in the medieval era. This is caused by two main factors: regional tradition, and inaccuracies in the recording process. Before the last few hundred years, scribes spelled names according to their sounds. Spelling variations were the unsurprising result. The variations of Bigio include Bisio, Bixio, Bisi, Bissi, Biggino, Biggio, Biggi, Bigio, Bigi, Biselli, Bisetti and many more.

Early Notables of the Bigio family

Prominent among members of the family was

Nanni di Baccio Bigio, a pseudonym of Giovanni Lippi (died 1568), an Italian architect of the 16th century

Bigio migration to the United States +

In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Bigio

Bigio Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Costintina Bigio, aged 5, who landed in America, in 1892
Bartolomeo Bigio, aged 55, who immigrated to the United States from Dorno, Italy, in 1897
Celestina Bigio, aged 50, who landed in America from Dorno, Italy, in 1897
Costantina Bigio, aged 10, who immigrated to America from Dorno, Italy, in 1897
Granato Bigio, aged 17, who landed in America from Sovena, in 1899

Bigio Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Giuseppe Bigio, aged 25, who settled in America from Ozzano, Italy, in 1910
Filippo Bigio, aged 30, who landed in America from Ficorozzi, Sicily, in 1913
Isaac Bigio, aged 42, who immigrated to the United States from Port au Prince, Haiti, in 1920
Albert Bigio, aged 36, who settled in America from Port Au Prince, Haiti, in 1921
Esther Bigio, aged 6, who immigrated to the United States from Port au Prince, Haiti, in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Bigio (post 1700) +

Guido Bigio (1881-1913), Italian racing car driver and chemical engineer, co-founder of the Turin-based Itala car manufacturer in 1905