Battista History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Italy

Etymology of Battista

The distinguished surname Battista can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Sicily, which is located off Southwestern Italy and incorporates the island of Sicily itself, the area of Naples, and the southern part of the Italian peninsula. 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 Sicily 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 Battista was derived from the name "Baptist" in devotion to St. John the Baptist.

Early Origins of the Battista family

Early History of the Battista family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Battista research. The years 1458, 1524, 1591, 1614, 1683, 1784, 1823 and 1856 are included under the topic Early Battista History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Battista Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Battista, Abbattista, Batisti, Batista, De Battista, Di Battista, Battistelli, Batistelli, Battistello, Battistella, Battistel, Battistetti, Battistini, Battistin, Battistiol, Battistotti, Battistuzzi, Battistoni, Battistone, Battiston, Battistano, Battistato, Battistat, Battistutti, Battistutta, Titta, Tittoni and many more.

Early Notables of the Battista family

• Saint Camilla Battista da Varano, O.S.C., (1458-1524), from Camerino, Italy, an Italian princess and a Poor Clare nun and abbess
• Giovanni Battista di Quadro (died c. 1591), a Swiss-Italian Renaissance architect, one of the most famous architects in Central Europe in his time
• Giovanni Battista de Luca (1614-1683), an Italian jurist and Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
• Giambattista Battistini of Novellara, Mayor of Montefiorino in 1784. Vincenzo Battista, born in Naples in 1823, was a dramatic composer and is known for many of his 13 operas. Mattia Battistini, born...

Battista Ranking

the United States, the name Battista is the 9,472^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1