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| Origins Available: |
| | Italy |
From the historical and fascinating Italian region of Venice emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Grassini 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 Grassini came from a person who was corpulent or stout. The surname Grassi is derived from the word grasso, which means overweight.
The surname Grassini was first found in the city of Milan, in the region of Lombardy
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Grassini research. The years 1418, 1459, 1481, 1520, 1570, 1571, 1773 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Grassini History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Grassini include Grassi, Grasso, De Grassi, Degrassi, Lo Grasso, La Grassa, Grasselli, Grassellini, Grassaleoni, Grassilli, Grassigli, Grassetti, Grassini, Grassani and many more.
Prominent among bearers of this family in early times was
Early immigration records have shown some of the first Grassinis to arrive on North American shores: