The distinguished surname Cristiano 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 Cristiano came from the Latin given name Christianus, which means belonging to Christ. The name Christ is derived from a word meaning anointed.
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Cristiano 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 Cristiano include and others.
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Migration of the Cristiano family
Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Cristiano:
Contemporary Notables of the name Cristiano (post 1700)
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Alfredo Cristiano Keil (1850-1907), Portuguese romantic composer and painter
Cristiano da Matta (b. 1973), Brazilian auto racing driver
Cristiano Monteiro da Matta (b. 1973), Brazilian former professional racing driver
Cristiano Bolado (d. 2017), Filipino professional basketball player
Cristiano Bortone (b. 1968), Italian director, screenwriter and producer
Cristiano Piccini (b. 1992), Italian footballer who plays for Portuguese club Sporting CP
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (b. 1985), Portuguese professional footballer
Cristiano Lucarelli (b. 1975), Italian former football striker
Cristiano Bacci (b. 1975), Italian retired footballer and former manager
Italy
