| {{ad}} |
|
|
|
The distinguished surname Castellani originated in an area of Italy, known as the Papal States. 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 traditional type of family name found in the region of the Papal States is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, but does not necessarily denote nobility. The Castellani family lived at or near a "castle."
The surname Castellani was first found in the year 1070, when Pantaleone Castelli was responsible for the construction of the bronze doors for the church of San Paolo.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Castellani research. The years 1210, 1211, 1229, 1390, 1420, 1488, 1500, 1521, 1557, 1600, 1608, 1624, 1629, 1659, 1660 and 1672 are included under the topic Early Castellani History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Castellani include Castelli, Castello, Castella, Castiello, Castiglio, Del Castello, Del Castiglio, Castelletti, Castelletto, Castelletta, Castellini, Castellino, Castellucci, Casteluccio, Castelluzzi, Castelluzzo, Castellotti, Castellotto, Castellone, Castiglione, Castiglioni, Castioni, Castellacci, Castellaccio, Castellazzi, Castellazzo, Castellani, Castellano, Castellana, Castellàn, Castellaneta, Castellari, Castellaro, Castellarini, Castellarìn, Castelfranco, Castelfranchi, Castelnovo, Castelnuovo, Castelnovi, Castelvecchio, Castelvecchi, Castelvetro and many more.
Prominent among members of the family was
In France, the name Castellani is the 3,337th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 1
Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Castellani or a variant listed above: R. Castello, who settled in New York City in 1822; M. Castello settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1823 at the age of 25; Mark, John, Atillio, and A.B. Castello all arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1878..