Number 18 Italian Surname Moretti Number 18 on the list of most popular Italian Surnames — Moretti.  It’s hard to tell which of the name origins is correct.  Some sites list it as coming from the first name Mauro, some say dark hair and some say dark skin.  It’s quite possible that all of these origins are correct depending on the people and geographical location.  I could not find any verifiable COA for anyone named Moretti, so I used the next best thing! Moretti History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms The name Moretti is a patronymicsurname, created from the personal nameMauro, which is itself derived from the Latin name Maurus. Patronymicsurnames were created from the name of the bearer’s father or relative, and gradually during the Middle Ages, these names became fixed hereditary surnames. Early Origins of the Moretti family The surname Moretti was first found in Modena (Etruscan: Mutna; Latin: Mutina; Modenese: Mòdna), around the year 1179. Early History of the Moretti family  This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moretti research.Another 30 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1050, 1375, 1639, 1636, 1677 and 1735 are included under the topic Early Moretti History in all our PDF Extended History productsand printed products wherever possible.  Moretti 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 localspellings of Italian surnames that occurred over the course of history, there are numerous variations for the surname Moretti. These spelling variationsinclude Moro, Moras, Morasco, Morassi, Morasso, Morassut, Morassutti, Moratelli, Morati, Moratti, Moratto, Morazzi, Morero, Moreschi, Moraschi, Moresi, Moret, Moretti, Moretto, Morin, Morini, Morino, Moriotti, Moriotto, Morozzi, Morisco, Moresco, Morisi, Mori, Morimanno, Moroni, Morucchio, Morucci and many more. From the House of Names The Moretti surname is a Jewish Italian name. It is derived from the Italianword Moretto meaning dark hair and the Yiddishword Mordeven Zich meaning worker (or in some cases overwork). The name originated in the 1500sby Jewish immigrants to Italy who wanted to fit in to the brand new culture they were entering. While choosing a surname, they took Italian words and combined them with yiddish or traditional Jewish words or names. In this particular case, the words combined were supposed to mean dark skinned worker, but the Jewish immigrants did not have a full understanding of Italian at the time and the Italian word that makes up part of the name actually translates to dark haired, a simple mistake made by a lack of knowledge of the Italian language. When both the Yiddish and Italian words are put together to form Moretti it translates dark haired worker Some of these names are: Mordoue, Mordoy, Moret, Morita, Moritt, Moriyada, Moriyadi, Morretti (Moretti), etc. During this time period, the enlightenment was spreading through Italy and Europe and many of the jews in Italy were converted. Even though many Jews were converted, their names carry down the ties to Judaism that were once prevalent among a group of people. To this day Genealogists can find the ties to Judaism through many names including Moretti.  From Familypedia    Join Italian Roots and Genealogy on Facebook Click here to purchase “Farmers and Nobles” on Amazon People Alessandra Moretti(born 1973), Italian politician Amy Schwartz Moretti, American violinist Bob Moretti(1936–1984), Californian politician Bruno Moretti(born 1957), Italian composer and frequent collaborator with choreographer Mauro Bigonzetti Bruno Moretti (Paralympian), Australian Paralympian Cristina Favre-Moretti(born 1963), Swiss ski mountaineer, long-distance runner and mountain biker Cristoforo Moretti, Lombard painter of the quattrocento David Moretti(born 1981), American actor Davide Moretti(born 1998), Italian basketball player Emiliano Moretti(born 1981), Italian footballer Enrico Moretti, Italian-born American economist Fabrizio Moretti (art dealer)(born 1976), Italian art dealer Fabrizio Moretti(born 1980), Brazilian-born drummer in American band The Strokes Filomena Moretti(born 1973), Italian classical guitarist Franco Moretti(born 1950), Italian literary scholar Frank Moretti(1943–2013), professor at Columbia University Giampiero Moretti(1940–2012), Italian racing driver Giuseppe Moretti (botanist)(1782–1853), Italian botanist Giuseppe Moretti(1857–1935), Italian sculptor Isabelle Moretti(born 1964), French harpist Joe Moretti(1938–2012), Scottish guitarist Isabella Crettenand-Moretti(born 1963), Swiss ski mountaineer, marathon mountain biker, long-distance and mountain runner Lisa Mary Moretti, (born 1961), American wrestler, known as “Ivory” Luigi Moretti(1907–1973), Italian architect Marino Moretti(1885–1979), Italian poet and author Mario Moretti(born 1946), Italian terrorist Michèle Moretti(born 1940), French actress Nanni Moretti(born 1953), Italian film director, producer and actor Raoul Moretti(born 1933), a French composer of film scores Riccardo Moretti(born 1985), Italian motorcycle racer Tobias Moretti(born 1959), Austrian actor Willie Moretti(1894–1951), Italian-American mafia underboss From Wikipedia  Moretti Links Moretti Link from Ancestry Moretti Link from Forbears   #1 Russo #2 Ferrari #3 Esposito #4 Bianchi #5 Romano #6 Columbo #7 Ricci #8 Marino #9 Greco #10 Bruno #11 Gallo #12 Conti #13 DeLuca # 14 Costa # 15 Giordano # 16 Mancini #17 Lombardo

Growing Up Italian American is a super book by Dr. Ferdinand Visco.  Dr. V. gives us an inside look into the Baratta and Visco families that came to America to make a better life, and live the American dream.  They had a goal for their children and grandchildren, many of whom became pharmacists and doctor’s.  What is especially amazing, is that Dr. V. and I came from the same small town College Point, in Queens NYC!  We lived only about a mile away, and never met, until we found each other on Facebook. Dr. V gives the stories of his grandparents and parents and the values they instilled on their children.  How they started businesses and became well known in their communities.  While they never lost sight of their roots, they believed in America and it’s values. Like most Italian American kids that grew up in the 40’s and 50’s, we share many of the same experiences, especially the food.  Although Dr. V is a bit older than me, we can relate to so much.  For example, we went to the same school, same church, knew the same teachers and priests.  I must have walked past his home 1000 times, by Chisolm’s Park.  And I know I went into his dad’s Pharmacy.  Three things that hit home was his going to 42nd St with his mom and eating at the Automat.  My dad worked for the NY Daily News and he would take me there too.  Also, going to Corona to buy Italian food.  They were shopping around the corner from my grandmother’s home. Dr. V also talks about his experience in Med School in Italy ( I recently found a distant cousin that related similar stories ).  He also worked at Flushing, St. John’s, St. Vincent’s Bronx Lebanon to name but a few.  Some of his doctor stories are quite amusing.  Whether you grew up in NYC, Philly, Boston or any other immigrant Italian neighborhood in the world, this book is for you. <br />

Italian: from Latin imperialis ‘imperial’, either denoting someone of aristocratic lineage or a nickname for a haughty person.The Imperial family, formerly called Tartaro, descends from the counts of Ventimiglia and originates from Conrad, brother of Adalbert King of Italy and Otto, son of Emperor Begorio II the Lombard. The Imperial family, formerly called Tartaro, descends from the counts of Ventimiglia and originates from Conrad, brother of Adalbert King of Italy and Otto, son of Emperor Begorio II the Lombard. In 1308 Emperor Andronius II granted the imperial surname to the Tartar and Mangiavacca families; The Mangiavacca became extinct, the Tartar family was called by way only Imperial, Imperialis or Imperial. He enjoyed nobility in Genoa, where together with 28 other noble families now extinct, he formed the Imperial Hotel, in Milan, Vicenza and Naples, where it was aggregated in 1743 to the Neapolitan Patriziato of The seat of Capuanaand, after the abolition of the seats (1800), in the Book of Neapolitan gold. Copyright © 2007 www.nobili-napoletani.it From Libro d’Oro Princes of Sant’Angelo From Nobility of Naples

Number 7 Italian Surname Ricci   There are at least thirty known spellings of this famous Italian surname ranging from Ricca, Ricci, Ricco and Rizzo, to Riccelli, Rizzillio and Rizzotto. However spelt they are all nicknames, and all derive from the ancient word ‘ricco’ meaning ‘curly’. It is generally accepted that this was originally a nickname given to people with curly hair, however it was also probably more specific and regional, and may have referred to people from the south of Italy or Sardinia. Like most such names, and at least fifteen percent of all surnames are of nickname origins, it is at least seven hundred years since it was first used, with the result that it is now quite impossible to determine the exact original meaning, and to whom it was applied. Only those that were there can be sure of that! In addition surnames of Italian origins usually suffer from a lack of early recordings. This is because Italy did not become a unified country until 1860, prior to that it was a loose confederation of about twelve states. Some insisted on recordings of births and deaths, but most did not bother. To this lack of information has to be added war and general neglect, resulting in the loss of many early registers. We have however secured a number of early recordings and these include: Giovanni Ricci, a witness at Pontelandol, Siena, on February 17th 1545, David Ricca, christened at Angrogna, on June 1st 1652, and Pietro Riccio, christened at Napoli on August 5th 1675. See the very interesting article on Matteo Ricci below. © Copyright: Name Origin Research 1980 – 2017   Christie Ricci(1982-), American wrestler Christina Ricci(1980-), American actress Fausto Ricci(1961-), Italian motorcycle racer Federico Ricci(1809-77), Italian composer Francesco Ricci Bitti(1942-), Italian sports administrator Franco Maria Ricci(1937-), Italian art publisher Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro(1853-1925), Italian mathematician (Ricci curvature) Italia Ricci(1986-), Canadian actress Jason Ricci(1974-), American blues harmonica player Kenneth C. “Kenn” Ricci(fl.1981-2015), aviation entrepreneur Lawrence Ricci(1945-2005), US murder victim alleged to be a high-ranking officer in the Genovese crime family Lella Ricci(1850-71), Italian singer Lorenzo Ricci(1703-75), 18th Superior General of the Jesuits Luigi Ricci(1805-59), Italian composer Luigi Ricci(1893-1981), Italian vocal coach Luigi Ricci-Stolz(1852-1906), Italian composer, son of composer Luigi Ricci Marco Ricci(1676-1730), Italian Baroque painter Matteo Ricci(1552-1610), Jesuit missionary in China Michelangelo Ricci(1619-82), Italian mathematician and Cardinal Mike Ricci(1971-), Canadian ice hockeyplayer Nina Ricci(1883-1970), French fashion designer Nino Ricci(1959-), Canadian novelist Ostilio Ricci(1540-1603), Italian mathematician Regolo Ricci(1955-), Canadian painter and illustrator Renato Ricci(1896-1956), Italian Fascist politician Renato Ricci(1940-), Australian footballer Renato Ricci(1991-), Italian footballer Richard Ricci (?-2002), a convicted burglar suspected of involvement in the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping, later cleared of all charges Ruggiero Ricci(1918-2012), American violinist Sandro Ricci(1974-), Brazilian football referee Sebastiano Ricci(1659-1734), Venetian Baroque painter Ulysses Ricci(1888-1960), American architectural sculptor Click here to purchase a copy of my story Matteo Ricci, SJ (1552-1610) Matteo Ricci, SJ, was a missionary to China who brought his mathematical and astronomical knowledge to China and adapted to Chinese culture. Matteo Ricci entered the Society of Jesus in 1571. Along with his studies in philosophy and theology, Ricci studied mathematics, cosmology, and astronomy, subjects that would serve him well on his mission to China. In 1578 the Jesuits sent Ricci on a mission to Asia. In 1580 Ricci was sent by Alessandro Valignani, superior of Jesuit missions in the East Indies, to prepare to enter China. Ricci sailed to Macao, the Portuguese colony in South China. There he took an intensive language course mastering Chinese to perfection. Entering China in 1583 with Michael Ruggieri, his Jesuit companion, Ricci dressed first in the clothing of a Buddhist monk and then later as a Confucian mandarin. Ricci’s aim was to adapt to the customs of China to be more accessible. Ricci also brought with him Western clocks, musical instruments, mathematical and astronomical instruments, and cosmological, geographical, and architectural works with maps and diagrams. These, along with Ricci’s phenomenal memory and mathematical and astronomical skills, attracted an important audience among the Chinese elite. In 1601 Ricci was called to meet with Emperor K’ang-Hsi in Peking. He was the first western missionary so invited. For nine years Ricci and other Jesuits dialogued with members of the Chinese intelligentsia. In these dialogues Ricci sought to build a Chinese-Christian civilization. By the time he died in 1610, Ricci left behind 2,500 Chinese Catholics, with many in the educated classes. He also left behind a Treatise on Friendship, a Treatise on Mnemonic Arts, a Chinese translation of Euclid’s Elements of Geometry, a book of Chinese apologetics—The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven, and Ten Discourses by a Paradoxical Man. After Ricci’s death certain of his decisions were questioned by Church authorities. Especially questioned was Matteo Ricci’s acceptance of Chinese ancestor worship as a legitimate, nontheological memorial to their ancestors that Catholic converts could practice. Later missionaries, not as schooled in Chinese culture, questioned this interpretation and brought their case to the Vatican. After decades of debate, in 1705 the Vatican decided that the Chinese practice of ancestor worship rites was incompatible with Catholic doctrine and was forbidden. Hearing this, the Chinese emperor banned Christian missions from China in 1721, closing the door that Ricci worked so patiently to open. From Ignation Spirituality Join Italian Roots and Genealogy on Facebook Ricci Links Ricci Link from Ancestry Ricci Link from Forbears Ricci Link from igenea.  They have a research project for Russo. Description:Welcome to the Ricci Y-DNA genetic project! We invite all males with the Ricci surname from anywhere in the world, but also with the spelling variants: Riccio, Rizzi, Rizzo, Rizza, Lo Riccio, La Riccia, Lo Rizzo and La Rizza to join. This surname group is very frequent in Italy and we would like to discover: 1) how many different Y-DNA lineages bear these surnames and 2) if individuals bearing different variants of the Ricci surname share nevertheless a common ancestor! Requirements:A Surname Project traces members of a family that share a common surname. They are of the most interest in cultures where surnames are passed on from father to son like the Y-Chromosome. This project is for males taking a Y-Chromosome DNA (Y-DNA) test. Thus, the individual who tests must be a male who wants to check his direct paternal line (father’s father’s father’s…) with a Y-DNA12, Y-DNA37, Y-DNA67, or Y-DNA111 test and who has one of the surnames listed for the project. Females do not carry their father’s Y-DNA. Females who would like to check their father’s direct paternal line can have a male relative with his surname order a Y-DNA test. Females can also order an mtDNA test for themselves such as the mtDNAPlus test or the mtFullSequence test and participate in an mtDNA project. Both men and women may take our autosomal Family Finder test to discover recent relationships across all family lines. Other surnames in ProjectDe Ricci, De Riccio, De Ritiis, La Riccia, La Rizza, Lo Riccio, Lo Rizzo, Riccio, Rizza, Rizzi, Rizzo   Various Ricci COA from Stemmario.It Italian Name Search Link

Buona Pasqua from Italian Genealogy.  So far it’s been a fun year and we have made a lot of discoveries and new friends.  We got to meet some long lost cousins too.  Enjoy the photos and some of our favorite blogs.  So from the Sorrentino, Nicoletti and Piromallo families Happy Easter.