Show ContentsCatalanotti History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

From the ancient and picturesque Italian region of Venice emerged a variety of distinguished names, including the notable surname Catalanotti. 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 are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Venice 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 Catalanotti family lived in Bologna, where a member of the Catalano family was a military Commander in 1200.

Early Origins of the Catalanotti family

The surname Catalanotti was first found in Bologna (Latin: Bononia), where a member of the Catalano family was a military commander in 1200. One of the earliest records of the family was Jordanus Catalani (fl. c. 1321-1330), French Dominican missionary and explorer in Asia known for his Mirabilia describing the marvels of the East. He was the first bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Quilon, the first Catholic diocese in India.

Early History of the Catalanotti family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Catalanotti research. The years 1548, 1550, 1560, 1588, 1596, 1626, 1630, 1666, 1698, 1750, 1764, 1779, 1780 and 1809 are included under the topic Early Catalanotti History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Catalanotti Spelling Variations

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 Catalanotti include Catalano, Catalani, Catalàn, Catelani, Catalanotto and many more.

Early Notables of the Catalanotti family

Prominent among members of the family was Carlo Catalan of Cagliari, who was a nobleman and was given the investiture of the reign of Sardinia by Pope Boniface VIII in the 13th century. Ottavio Catalani was a talented organist in 1550. Antonio Catalano also called Catalani or il Siciliano, (1560-1630) was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance and early-Baroque periods. He was born in Messina, Sicily, where he probably received some training from his father Antonio Catalano the Elder. Antonio Catalani also called Il Romano (c. 1596-1666 ) was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance and early-Baroque periods. He was born...
Another 134 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Catalanotti Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Catalanotti family

A look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Catalanotti: Salvadore Catalano, who arrived in Washington D.C. in 1805; Alessandro Catalano, aged 16, who arrived at Ellis Island from Ceppaloni, Italy, in 1911; Alfio Catalano, aged 43, who arrived at Ellis Island from Carlentini, Italy, in 1910.


Contemporary Notables of the name Catalanotti (post 1700) +

  • Joseph Catalanotti, American politician, Member of New York American Labor Party Executive Committee, 1945 [1]


  1. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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