Cavalcanti History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Cavalcanti was first found in Florence, where a family of this name was found from the eleventh century. Aldobrandino Cavalcanti was a member of the town council in 1204.

Of note in the early days was Cavalcante de Cavalcanti (c. 1250-1280), a Florentine Epicurean philosopher. His son, Guido Cavalcanti (c. 1250-1300) was an Italian poet and a close friend and intellectual influence to Dante Alighieri.

However, in the factions with the Ghibellines, since the Cavalcantes were from the Guelph side, many of its members were repeatedly banned from the republic: among them Guido Cavalcante poet dear to Alighieri. Thirteen members of this family held the office of Prior between 1451 and 1531.

In the century In the 14th century the family branched out to Calabria where Filippo Cavalcante became avenger of Val di Crati and Terrra Giordana, the Cavalcantes of Florence became extinct at the beginning of the century, after having obtained the priory and senatorial dignity several times.

The Cavalcantes of Naples were nobles in Cosenza, Gaeta and Naples and held Capuano seat in 1793. They were received into the order of Malta from 1595, and declared admissible in the RR. Bodyguards. They were lords of Cerenzia, Pietramala, Serra di Leo, Verbicaro etc. Marquises of Tortorello, dukes of Caccuri from 1745, of Malvito and Turano.