Massini History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

The distinguished surname Massini 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 Massini came from the first-name Maso, which is the short form of the personal name Tommaso. The name Tommaso, or Thomas, is itself derived from the Aramaic "toma" which means "twin".

Early Origins of the Massini family

The surname Massini was first found in Piedmont (Italian: Piemonte, Piedmontese and Occitan: Piemont) in the 13th century where early records show the Masini family, decedents of a long line of counts, lived and whose members included Oddone, elected captain of the commune in 1284, and Oddonnino, governor of a town, Vercelli, in 1290.

Early History of the Massini family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Massini research. The years 1383 and 1401 are included under the topic Early Massini History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Massini Spelling Variations

Enormous variation in spelling and form characterizes those Italian names that originated in the medieval era. This is caused by two main factors: regional tradition, and inaccuracies in the recording process. Before the last few hundred years, scribes spelled names according to their sounds. Spelling variations were the unsurprising result. The variations of Massini include Masella, Maselli, Masellis, Masetti, Masetto, Masi, Masiello, Masillo, Masin, Masina, Masini, Masino, Masiol, Maso, Masolini, Masolo, Mason, Masoni, Masotti, Masselli, Massetti, Massini, Masucci, Masuccio, Masulli, Masullo, Masutti, Masutto and many more.

Early Notables of the Massini family

Prominent among members of the family was members of the Massini family from the Piedmontese tradition include Tommaso Guidi Masaccio, who was born in 1401, and is a painter known as the Father of Modern Art. He was a member of the Florentine school, and has works from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. He was a student of Masolino and under this master, aided in the frescoing of two churches: San Clemente in Rome and the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine at Florence. The Brancacci...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Massini Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Massini migration to the United States +

Immigrants bearing the name Massini or a variant listed above include:

Massini Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Alessio Massini, aged 41, who landed in America from Monten, Italy, in 1910
Francesco Massini, aged 27, who landed in America from Canale Monterano, Italy, in 1911
Giovanni Massini, aged 17, who immigrated to America from Lama, Italy, in 1911
Giovanni Massini, aged 4, who landed in America from Prosaglio Dotto, Italy, in 1911
Angelo Massini, aged 35, who immigrated to the United States from Ferendillo, Italy, in 1912
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Massini (post 1700) +

Santiago Massini (1914-1952), Argentine fencer at the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics