The distinguished surname Liverani can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of
Venice. 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
Venice 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 Liverani came from the given name Olivero, which is further derived from the Latin words olivarius and olivo, which mean olive.
Early Origins of the Liverani family
The surname Liverani was first found in Bolgna (Latin: Bononia), the largest city and the capital of
Emilia-Romagna Region. From the Liverani lineage in this city came many prominent individuals, such as an Oliviero, documented as Cardinal of S.R. Chiesa in 1436.
Early History of the Liverani family
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Liverani 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 Liverani. These
spelling variations include Olivieri, Oliviero, Olivier, Oliveri, Olivero, Oliverio, Oliver, Ulivieri, Livieri, Liviero, Liverani, Vieri, Viero, Vier, Vierin and many more.
Early Notables of the Liverani family (pre 1700)
Prominent among members of the family was Alessandro Oliverio, (1500-1544), born in Bergamo, a famous painter and follower of Palma Vecchio. Pietro Oliveri was President of the Court in Palermo in 1675; Michele Oliveri was the first Duke of Aquaviva, and held the position in 1686; the Oliveri family from Messina...
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Migration of the Liverani family to the New World and Oceana
The records on immigrants and ships' passengers show a number of people bearing the name Liverani: Angela, Angelo, Carmela, Concetta, Filomena, Gennaro and Lucia Olivieri, who all arrived in New York city March 22, 1893 aboard the SS Alesia from Naples, Nicola Olivieri, who arrived in New York aboard the S.S. Olympia in 1896, Many settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, including Pasquale Olivieri, who arrived in the city in 1834..