Crispo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Italy

The distinguished surname Crispo can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Piedmont. 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 Piedmont 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 Crispo came from the given name Crispo. The Italian name Crespi is derived from the Latin name Crispus, and from the adjective crispus, which means curly or wavy hair. The surname Crespi may also be of nickname origin, given to someone who had curly hair. The surname Crespi appears most frequently in the area near Naples and in eastern Sicily.

Early Origins of the Crispo family

The surname Crispo was first found in Northern Italy evolved from the place named Crespi d'Adda in Bergamo. One of the first references of the name was in the year 1130, when Ansaldo Crispini was a government councillor in Genoa.

Early History of the Crispo family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crispo research. The years 1390, 1665, 1733, 1747 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Crispo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crispo 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 Crispo include Crespi, Crispi, Crispini, Crespini, Crespiani, Crespo, Crispo, Crespellani and many more.

Early Notables of the Crispo family

Prominent among members of the family was Alberto Crespi a priest, born in Milan in 1390; Giovanni Battista Crespi, a painter in Novara in the late 16th century; Daniele Crespi of Milan, a well known artist during the 16th century, whose frescoes can be seen in the Certosa di Garegnano in...
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Crispo Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crispo migration to the United States +

Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Crispo were among those contributors:

Crispo Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Manuel Crispo, aged 28, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1838 1
Niceules Crispo, aged 27, who arrived in Key West, Fla in 1845 1
A Crispo, aged 36, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1852 1

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)