Felicia History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy
Spain

The surname Felicia is a patronymic surname, created 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. The name Felicia came from the Latin word "felix," which means "happy."

Early Origins of the Felicia family

The surname Felicia was first found in Rome (Italian: Roma), the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, where Marcus Antonius Felix was a prominent member of the community, as he is known to have cleared the country of robbers.

Early History of the Felicia family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Felicia research. The years 1217, 1291, 1433, 1463 and 1479 are included under the topic Early Felicia History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Felicia 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 Felicia include Felici, Felice, Filice, Felise, Felis, Felisaz, De Felice, De Felici, Del Felice, Di Felice, Felicetti, Felicetta, Felicini, Felicioli, Feliciotti, Feliciani, Felician, Feliziani, Felicioni, Felisati, Felisatti, Feliciangeli, Felicitas and many more.

Early Notables of the Felicia family

Prominent among members of the family was

Giurarono Feliciani of Bologna was a part of the crusades in 1217...
Enrichetto Feliciani was a member of government in 1291 in Bologna, and was also involved in planning of urban streets...
Felice Feliciano (1433-1479) born in Verona, he was an accomplished calligrapher, composer of alchemical sonnets, and expert on Roman antiquity...

Migration of the Felicia family

Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Felicia or a variant listed above: Amantonia DeFelice, aged 26, who arrived at Ellis Island from Casoli, Italy, in 1907; Angelo DeFelice, aged 39, who arrived at Ellis Island from Vasto, Italy, in 1916.

Contemporary Notables of the name Felicia (post 1700) +

Felicia Ewuraesi Abban (1936-2024), Ghana's first female professional photographer
Felicia Rodrica Sturt Taylor (1964-2023), American anchor-correspondent who worked for CNN International's World Business Today, co-host of Retirement Living TV's Daily Cafe until November 2009
Felicia Dorothea Hemans (1793-1835), English poetess, born in Duke Street, Liverpool, on 25 Sept. 1793, the daughter of George Browne, merchant, of Liverpool, and at one time Imperial and Tuscan consul there
Felicia Ferrone, American industrial and furniture designer from Chicago, Illinois
Felicia Lily "Fefe" Dobson (b. 1985), award-winning Canadian two-time Juno Award nominated singer-songwriter and model
Felicia Farr (b. 1932), born Olive Dinesis, a former American actress and model, second husband was the film star Jack Lemmon
Felicia Middlebrooks (b. 1957), American radio news broadcaster
Felicia Lamport (1916-1999), American poet and satirist
Felicia Weathers, well known internationally, American opera and concert singer
Felicia Skene (1821-1899), Scottish author, friend of Florence Nightingale