Ferrante History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Italy

The ancient history of the name Ferrante began soon after 1066 when the Norman Conquest of England occurred. It was a name given to a person with gray hair, or who habitually dressed in gray. Checking further we found the name was derived from the Old French word, ferrant, which means gray (a reference to the color of iron). Another derivation suggests that the name is a corruption of Ferrant, the Old French form of Ferdinand. Time has confused the different derivations, and it is now extremely difficult to tell which is appropriate in a given situation.

Early Origins of the Ferrante family

The surname Ferrante was first found in Yorkshire where they were granted lands by William the Conqueror and appointed to the Wardenship of Skipton Castle, for the Cliffords, the chief tenants shown in the Domesday Book. They were under the protection and patronage of the ancient Earl of Albermarle.

Early History of the Ferrante family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ferrante research. Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1651 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Ferrante History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ferrante Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Ferrante are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Ferrante include Ferrant, Ferrand, Ferand, Ferrante and others.

Early Notables of the Ferrante family

More information is included under the topic Early Ferrante Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ferrante Ranking

In the United States, the name Ferrante is the 5,623^rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Ferrante is ranked the 7,743^rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2

Ferrante migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Ferrante, or a variant listed above:

Ferrante Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Agustin Ferrante, who arrived in Peru in 1892 3
Afsunta Ferrante, aged 8, who immigrated to the United States from Piano il Sorrent, in 1898

Ferrante Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Alfredo Ferrante, aged 16, who settled in America from Palmi, Italy, in 1904
Andrea Ferrante, aged 19, who settled in America from Cassel Sangeo, Italy, in 1905
Amedeo Ferrante, aged 33, who landed in America from Castoli, Italy, in 1910
Achille Ferrante, aged 38, who immigrated to America from Fontechiari, Italy, in 1910
Agata Ferrante, aged 4, who settled in America from Toretto, Italy, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ferrante (post 1700) +

Bob Jude Ferrante (b. 1959), American playwright and composer
Damon Ferrante, American composer
Frank Vincent Ferrante (b. 1963), American stage actor, comedian and director, best known for his impressions of Groucho Marx
Jack Anthony "Blackjack" Ferrante (1916-2006), American NFL football end
Russell Keith Ferrante (b. 1952), American jazz pianist, founding member of the group Yellowjackets
Patricia Jean Ferrante, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1972
Anne Agius Ferrante (1925-2023), Maltese politician, Member of the Parliament of Malta from 1980 until 1981 as a member of the Nationalist Party
Arthur Ferrante (1921-2009), born in New York City, known solely by his surname as part of the piano duo of Ferrante & Teicher
Andrea Ferrante (b. 1968), Italian composer
Ugo Ferrante (1945-2004), Italian footballer
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Ferrante Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Justus propositi tenax
Motto Translation: The just is firm of purpose.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)