Marchesi History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

From the historical and fascinating Italian region of Venice emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Marchesi family. 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 common type of family name found in the region of Venice is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, the nickname type of surname is also frequently found. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The surname Marchesi came from a feudal lord. The surname Marchesi is derived from the medieval Latin word marca, which means the territory over which feudal lords reigned. At the end of the Middle Ages, the word marchese became a nobiliary title as Count or duke. The nickname marchese was later given also to people who worked for a marquis or were part of his routine. Also, people who played the role of a marquis in pageants and festivals could afterward acquire the nickname of marchese.

Early Origins of the Marchesi family

The surname Marchesi was first found in Lombardy (Italian: Lombardia), with records from the 10th century showing that the Marchese family was of upper nobility in the region.

Early History of the Marchesi family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Marchesi research. Another 24 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1475, 1494 and 1848 are included under the topic Early Marchesi History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marchesi Spelling Variations

Surnames that originated in Italy are characterized by an enormous number of spelling variations. Some of these are derived from regional traditions and dialects. Northern names, for instance, often end in "o", while southern names tend to end in "i". Other variations come from the fact the medieval scribes tended to spell according to the sound of words, rather than any particular set of rules. The recorded variations of Marchesi include Marchesi, Marchese, Marchesich, Marchesini, Marcheselli, Marchesin, Marchesana, Marchisio, Marchesotti and many more.

Early Notables of the Marchesi family

Prominent among bearers of this family in early times was

Girolamo Marchesi, a painter during the 15th century. One of his most famous works lies in the Brera Gallery in Milan and is entitled "Madonna in Glory and Saints." Giacomo Marchesana was a Knight and...
the Marchese family in Naples owned 43 territories and were recognized as nobility in Naples, Capua, and Rome. Luigi Marchesi, was a male soprano from Milan who acquired international fame during the...

Marchesi migration to the United States +

An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Marchesi arrived in North America very early:

Marchesi Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jose Maria Marchesi, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1865 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)