Cerra History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

The Cerra family can trace its noble origins to the Italian region of Tuscany. 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 traditional type of family name found in the region of Tuscany 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 Cerra family lived near a Turkey Oak tree. The surname Cerri is derived from the Italian word cerro, which means bitter or Turkey oak. Therefore, the initial bearer of the surname Cerri may have been someone who lived near a place or he owned land were the Turkey oak grew in abundance. Alternatively, the surname Cerri was a nickname, derived from the Italian word cerro or cirro which means hair or curl, for someone who had curly hair.

Early Origins of the Cerra family

The surname Cerra was first found in Florence (Italian: Firenze), where the Cerretani family moved in the 12th century and immediately ascribed themselves to the Ghibelline faction. They remained faithful to the Ghibellines until 1262, when Iacopo d'Aldobrando Cerretani officially began supporting the Guelphs.

Early History of the Cerra family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cerra research. The years 1160, 1350, 1506, 1566, 1592, 1593, 1608, 1613, 1650, 1680, 1750, 1817 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Cerra History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cerra Spelling Variations

In comparison with other European surnames, Italian surnames have a surprising number of forms. They reflect the regional variations and the many dialects of the Italian language, each with its own distinctive features. For example, in Northern Italy the typical Italian surname suffix is "i", whereas in Southern Italy it is "o". Additionally, spelling changes frequently occurred because medieval scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded rather than according to any specific spelling rules. The spelling variations in the name Cerra include Cerri, Cerra, Cerro, Cierro, Cerriti, Cereto, Cerretani, Cerretelli, Cerretini, Cerretti, Cerretto, Cereti, Ceretti, Ceretto, Cerulli, Cerrito, Cerrini, Cerrina, Cerini, Cerìn, Cerroni, Cerrone, Cerrai, Cerrano, Cerrato, Cerrata, Cerratelli, Cerruti, Cerutti, Ceruti and many more.

Early Notables of the Cerra family

Prominent among members of the family was Giovanni Cerroni of Rome, who was an influential politician in 1350; Gerardo Cerutti of Milan was involved in the military and worked under the famous Francesco Sforza during the 15th century; Antonio Cerutti, born in Novara in 1506, was an intellectual and author who specialized in satire; Paolo Cerri of Piacenza was an architect in 1650 who learned his trade from his father. His accomplishments include the Palazzo dei...
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cerra Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cerra migration to the United States +

An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Cerra:

Cerra Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Antonio Cerra, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1857 [1]
Miguel Cerra, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1860 [1]
Leonor De Cerra, who landed in Florida in 1863 [1]

Contemporary Notables of the name Cerra (post 1700) +

Maria Cerra (1918-2015), American fencer in the women's individual foil event at the 1948 Summer Olympics
Eugenio Fernandez Cerra, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Puerto Rico, 1964
Mirta Cerra Herrera (1904-1986), Cuban painter
Eugenio Fernández Cerra (1920-2011), Puerto Rican chest physician and former Senator in the Puerto Rico Legislature, a graduate of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1943
Juan Ignacio Cerra (b. 1976), Argentine three-time gold and bronze medalist hammer thrower
Erica Cerra (b. 1979), Canadian actress, best known for her portrayal of Deputy Jo Lupo on the series Eureka

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)