Molinari History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsPiedmont, one of the oldest and most beautiful island regions of Italy, is the esteemed birthplace of numerous prominent families, including the family that bears the surname Molinari. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adapt 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; 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 common type of family name found in Piedmont is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, names derived from occupations are also found. Occupational surnames, which are less common that other types of surnames in Italy, date back to the feudal era. However, under the Feudal System, occupational names did not become hereditary until the offices themselves became hereditary. It was only after an occupation was inherited by several generations in lineal descent, that occupational names came to be applied to entire families, and so became a hereditary surname. The surname Molinari is a name for a person who owned, managed, or worked in a mill deriving its origin from the Italian word "molino," which meant mill. Early Origins of the Molinari familyThe surname Molinari was first found in Genoa (Italian: Genova), a prosperous city which at one time was a rival with Venice in terms of commerce and trade. Early History of the Molinari familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Molinari research. The years 1370, 1455, 1570, 1599, 1633, 1655, 1667, 1704 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Molinari History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Molinari Spelling VariationsItalian 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 Molinari. These spelling variations include Molinari, Molinaro, Moliner, Mulinari, Monari, Monaro, Munari, Muner, Mugnai, Molinella, Molinare, Monlinaroli, Molinarolo and many more. Early Notables of the Molinari familyProminent among members of the family was
Molinari RankingIn the United States, the name Molinari is the 13,701st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Molinari is ranked the 5,141st most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2
Early immigration records have shown some of the first Molinaris to arrive on North American shores: Molinari Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Molinari Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
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