Cristino History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

The distinguished surname Cristino 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 Cristino was derived from the Latin given name Cristianus, which means belonging to Christ.

Early Origins of the Cristino family

The surname Cristino was first found in the year 1258, when members of the Cristano family were officially recognized as nobility in Taranto.

Early History of the Cristino family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cristino research. The year 1547 is included under the topic Early Cristino History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cristino Spelling Variations

Italian surnames have a surprising number of forms in comparison with other European surnames because they reflect the regional variations and the many dialects of the Italian language, each of which has its distinctive features. For example, in Northern Italy the most standard Italian surname suffix is "I", whereas in Southern Italy the most typical surname suffix is "O". Sardinian is very different from other forms of Italian and in fact, it is considered to be its own distinct language. Additionally, spelling changes frequently occurred because medieval scribes, church officials, and the bearers of names, spelled names as they sounded rather than according to any specific spelling rules. As a consequence of the major changes in the Italian language and in the local spellings of Italian surnames that occurred over the course of history, there are numerous variations for the surname Cristino. These spelling variations include Cristini, Cristani, Cristano, Cristino, Cristina, De Cristina and many more.

Early Notables of the Cristino family

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cristino Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cristino migration to the United States +

A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Cristino:

Cristino Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Antonio Cristino, aged 42, who immigrated to the United States from Montecelio, in 1905
Francesca Cristino, aged 37, who immigrated to the United States from Montacalvo Tzpino, Italy, in 1906
Filippo Cristino, aged 17, who landed in America from Coreno Ausonia, Italy, in 1909
Francesco Cristino, aged 3, who landed in America from Montecarlo, Italy, in 1911
Antonio Cristino, aged 0, who settled in America from Montecarlo, Italy, in 1911
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Cristino (post 1700) +

Cristino Garcia (1914-1946), Spanish fighter with the French Resistance during World War II