Capito History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy
Spain

From the historical and enchanting Italian region of the islands of Sicily emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Capito family. 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. Although the most common type of family name found in Sicily 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 Capito is a name for a person who is very determined, or head-strong, as it derives its origin from the Italian word "capo."

Early Origins of the Capito family

The surname Capito was first found in the reign of the Hohenstauffens in Sicily, which lasted from 1194 to 1266. At this time Corrado Caputo, nephew of the Emperor Frederick II, was Prince of Antiochia and general vicar of Sicily. Gaius Ateius Capito was a tribune of the plebs in 55 BC and Gaius Fonteius Capito was a consul of the Roman Empire in 59, succeeding Nero.

Early History of the Capito family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Capito research. The years 1400, 1478, 1541, 1550, 1560, 1774, 1810 and 1840 are included under the topic Early Capito History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Capito 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 Capito include Caputo, Capua, Capuano, Capuro, Capuanelli, Capuani, Capuanella and many more.

Early Notables of the Capito family

Prominent among bearers of this surname in early times was

Ulisse Caputo of Salerno was a famous actor and artist who specialized in painting and etching. Wolfgang Fabricius Capito (or Köpfel) (c.?1478-1541) was a Alsace-born, German religious reformer

Migration of the Capito family

Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Capito: Domenico Capuano, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1840, and B. Capuro, who settled in San Francisco, California, in 1850.

Contemporary Notables of the name Capito (post 1700) +

Shelley Wellons Moore Capito (b. 1953), American politician, United States Senator from West Virginia (2015-)