Castri History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Italy

Etymology of Castri

The Castri family can trace its noble origins to the Italian region of Piedmont. 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, 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 are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Piedmont is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, but does not necessarily denote nobility. The Castri family lived in Genoa, a prosperous city in Piedmont which at one time was a rival with Venice in terms of commerce and trade.

Early Origins of the Castri family

Early History of the Castri family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Castri research. Another 43 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1360, 1550, 1597 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Castri History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Castri Spelling Variations

Italian surnames come in far more variations than the names of most other nationalities. Regional traditions and dialects are a decisive factor in this characteristic. For example, northern names tend to end in "o", while southern in "i". Also important, but not unique to Italy, was the fact that before dictionaries and the printing press most scribes simply spelled words according to their sounds. The predictable result was an enormous number of spelling variations. The recorded spellings of Castri include Castro, Castri, De Castri, De Castris, Lo Castro, Lo Casto, Li Castri, Licastri, Li Castro, Licastro, Castrogiovanni, Castronovo, Castronuovo and many more.

Early Notables of the Castri family

More information is included under the topic Early Castri Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Castri family

Some of the first North American settlers with Castri name or one of its variants: C. Castro, who arrived in New York City in 1823; M. Castro settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1877; Accursia Castronovo, aged 56, who arrived at Ellis Island from Sciacca, Sicily, in 1910.