relationship between ancient roman names and italian names

[VeniVidiVici]

Many of current Italian names are definitely from Rome.

But I'm sure there aren't any Latin names like Rossi, Cristina, Gerino, etc.

 

Is it because more Italian names were influenced by German, English culture rather than Latin ones?

[sonic]

Many of current Italian names are definitely from Rome.

But I'm sure there aren't any Latin names like Rossi, Cristina, Gerino, etc.

 

Is it because more Italian names were influenced by German, English culture rather than Latin ones?

 

 

I haven't looked at personal names, but over time many place names have evolved different endings. For example, Latium has changed the 't' to a 'z' and the 'ium' to an 'o' = Lazio. Maybe the same has happened to the personal names?

[Nephele]

Many of current Italian names are definitely from Rome.

But I'm sure there aren't any Latin names like Rossi, Cristina, Gerino, etc.

 

Is it because more Italian names were influenced by German, English culture rather than Latin ones?

 

The surname "Rossi" actually developed from the Latin cognomen "Russus" or "Russeus", meaning "red-haired".

 

The surname "Cristina", generally taken to mean "Christian", may seem an unlikely offshoot of any old Roman name. But Kajanto has noted the appearance of the Roman cognomen "Cristinus" in Volume VI of the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum -- this being the name of a soldier, and his name possibly being a corruption of "Chrestinus". This Cristinus (or Crestinus; Chrestinus) had nothing to do with Christianity -- instead his name meant "a cock's comb", and was most likely a reference to the name-bearer's hair, that probably stood upright on his head in a tuft resembling the comb (or crest) of a rooster. "Crista" was another known cognomen, also meaning "crest". Most Roman cognomina started out as nicknames describing the physical attributes of their bearers.

 

The surname "Gerino", on the other hand, probably does owe its origins to Germanic culture, as you suggested.

 

-- Nephele

 

P.S. Just want to tell you that I enjoyed your query on Roman names. Nomenclature is my "thing". And... Welcome to UNRV, VeniVidiVici!

Edited August 9, 2007 by Nephele

[docoflove1974]

Many of current Italian names are definitely from Rome.

But I'm sure there aren't any Latin names like Rossi, Cristina, Gerino, etc.

 

Is it because more Italian names were influenced by German, English culture rather than Latin ones?

 

It really depends, but names are going to follow fads, powerful people, and family lines; Nephele can describe that. Remember that the history of Italy is full of not only Italic rulers, but various Gothic and French rulers, and this has an effect on the first names, to be sure. The Catholic church also has a hand in this; not just 'Cristina', but any saint names, pope names, cardinal names...they had the power!

[Vibius Tiberius Costa]

I suppose like all languages Italy ahs been widely influenced from he whole world, especially when the Vatican is a holy site for many culturely different catholics.

However many names aren't that different though.

The football referee: Pierre-Luigi Collina

has Collina for his surname which although isn't a latin name it is derived from a latin word collis (hill)

Most italian names are now latin words rather than latin names

 

vtc

[Nephele]

The football referee: Pierre-Luigi Collina

has Collina for his surname which although isn't a latin name it is derived from a latin word collis (hill)

 

Actually, Collina is a Latin name. It's one of the names of the 35 voting tribes of ancient Rome.

 

A Roman's full name (at its most complex) would include the name of his tribe along with the names of his father and grandfather (and sometimes great-grandfather). Collina/us also appears in inscriptions as a simple cognomen.

 

But as a tribal name addition, this would generally appear abbreviated in inscriptions as "COL." at the end of the Roman's full, formal name.

 

-- Nephele

Edited August 19, 2007 by Nephele

[Vibius Tiberius Costa]

The football referee: Pierre-Luigi Collina

has Collina for his surname which although isn't a latin name it is derived from a latin word collis (hill)

 

Actually, Collina is a Latin name. It's one of the names of the 35 voting tribes of ancient Rome.

 

A Roman's full name (at its most complex) would include the name of his tribe along with the names of his father and grandfather (and sometimes great-grandfather). Collina/us also appears in inscriptions as a simple cognomen.

 

But as a tribal name addition, this would generally appear abbreviated in inscriptions as "COL." at the end of the Roman's full, formal name.

 

-- Nephele

 

So my example was wrong but im still correct in saying a lot of latin word have become surnames. Am i?

 

vtc

[Nephele]

So my example was wrong but im still correct in saying a lot of latin word have become surnames. Am i?

 

vtc

 

Well, a lot of Latin surnames are derived from Latin words. But, yes, there are surnames -- as well as given names -- that were derived straight from Latin words rather than from ancient Roman names. But much of this was due to the influence of the medieval Catholic Church, which had a strong hand in European name development (as mentioned earlier in this thread by docoflove). Latin, after all, became the language of the Church.

 

One such name that comes quickest to mind is "Benedict", meaning "blessed". In its original Latin form of "Benedictus" this name rose in popularity due to the 5th-6th century saint and founder of the Benedictine order of monks. Most likely this was a Latin-based name that St. Benedict either chose for himself to replace a "pagan" name, or was bestowed upon him by his Christian parents or church elders to express his religious ideals.

 

-- Nephele