Study of the families who influenced Canterbury, Kent, England in the 13th century through the Early Modern Era. Photo of Canterbury Cathedral which houses the Canterbury Archives by Matthew Larcinese
14th century document demonstrating land transactions in 14th century Italy. Photo by Matthew Larcinese
Photo from the Archivio di Stato di Lanciano (the old one), Abruzzo, Italy. Photo by Matthew Larcinese
14th century, S. Maria dei Calderari monastery rediscovery in Italy. Photo and field work by Matthew Larcinese --Guglielmo de Berardo da Gessopalena
Anyone who wishes to participate in the program will receive complimentary research and free Y-DNA testing.
The following surnames and Y-DNA test results are available for participants from Gessopalena, Guardiagrele, Casoli, Civitella Messer Raimondo, Prata, Roccascalegna, Lanciano, and Rome, Italy. Please note that some individuals have chosen not to be listed below, and their privacy is respected. DNA testing is a safe and effective way to conduct research and confirm your own family surname. It does not have any impact on your soul.
"I am searching for volunteers who are interested in a free comprehensive family make-up. Currently, I am looking for individuals with surnames such as Accettella, di Fabrizio, Lannutti, Iezzi, Mancini, Ciabotta, Di Lullo, or older ancestry from Gessopalena with surnames such as Paglione, Cucchiarone, Pucci (Bucci, Bucciarello, Jacobuccio, Jacobi), Peschio, Camerino, Dragone, Orefice (Aurefice). If you are not on this list but want to inquire, please contact me. From Casoli, I am looking for Spinelli, Fiorentino, Greco, Creta, Iannone, and from Guardiagrele, anyone. It's worth noting that DNA does not care about time or borders, so you do not have to live in these towns to participate. You just need to have ancestry that I can track back to these towns. If you are not sure, please contact me, and I can help you complete your family history."are not sure, please contact me, and I can help you complete your family history."
Please don't worry too much about the accuracy of the spelling of surnames. I have a vast collection of books, and it's astonishing to see the number of errors made by notaries, priests, and others in the 16th and 17th centuries when spelling surnames.names.
Gessopalena:
Salamone (J-Z1297+) This line appears in the Paglione documents of Gessopalena in 1580-1609 however may also have a presence in Lanciano in 1555. Preliminary Bigy700 results suggest a Balkan origin.
The De Gregorio family, also known as Di Julio, Di Falco, and possibly Hercolesse (Ercolesse), can trace their lineage back over 600 years in Gessopalena. Early records show that the family used to go by the name "de Julio," but over time, "de Gregorio" became the dominant surname. The family may have originated from Bomba in the mid to early 1500s, and Y-DNA analysis of the family from these towns could provide further evidence. It is also important to test the surname "De Julio" in the surrounding villages of Bomba, Altino, and Archi. The archives suggest that this is one large family, but Y-DNA testing will be necessary to confirm if there is a connection. Preliminary Bigy700 results indicate a Balkan origin.
Melchiorre (J-Z1297+, Z631+) (Additional surname, Giannamore, L'Aquila, Abruzzo) Y-DNA match 700 years ago--same family perhaps part of the wool transhumance
Melchiorre (Marchionne etc...) (J-Z1297, Z631+)
The two Melchiorre tests stems from Antonio Melchiorre in the early 1600's. There is a gap in the archives however the two Melchiorre's present in the archives in the late 1600's are brothers. One, Nunziato, is the archpriest of Gessopalena and the other, Antonio is a money lender. These two men below who both connect in the early 1600's are related to Antonio Melchiorre. Preliminary Bigy700 results suggest a Balkan origin.
Zinno (R-L51+)
Sambuco (R-S8172+) Traced back to late 1500's Gessopalena.
Cavaliere (Cavaliero) (R-M12149+, Big Y): The Cavaliere family appears in two distinct places in Abruzzo--Guardiagrele and Gessopalena. The sample below is from ancestry from Gessopalena back to the early 1600's. The early Y-DNA, Big Y matches on this line suggest a Spanish nobility.
The surnames Tiberini and Larcinese, along with De Berardo, Di Blasio, and possibly Pucci (Jacobuccio, Jacobi), are believed to have originated from the same male ancestor who lived in the Jewish quarter of Gessopalena and Guardiagrele in the 1300s. Advanced Y-DNA testing has indicated that these two lines share Jewish lineage, and notary documents from the 16th century have demonstrated a connection between the de Berardo and Di Blasio lineages. Although the identity of the common male ancestor is unknown, recent Big Y700 DNA and YFULL DNA analyses of four men from the Tiberino, Larcinese, de Berardo, di Blasio and maybe Pucci ( includes Jacobi and its spelling variations lines have shown that they diverged from each other and adopted different surnames centuries ago. The estimated dates for this split fall between 1300 AD and 1500 AD.
Tiberini J-BY200540, Big Y700
Larcinese/ de Larcenese, Larcianese J-BY200540, Big Y700
de Berardo
di Blasio
Jacobi/Pucci (and the dozens of alternate spellings)
Cecchini (J-M267+, J-L1189+)
This line has been researched back to the 1500's in Gessopalena, Abruzzo, Italy.
Magnatte, AKA--Bozzi, Bochio, Bozzius, Batis (J-M267+, J-FGC5230+, Full Chromosome)
This name is spelled many ways in Gessopalena notary documents however it is important to note the BOZZI name started out as an alias. The original name can be demonstrated through the 1580-1609 Paglione notary records as well as the baptism records of San Valentino 1598-1652 with the original name, Magnatte. Or as we see, Magnatte alias Bozzi. While I have test one man from this line, I need to test a few more with this surname to fully understand the origins. The DNA of the Bozzi in Gessopalena has currently been analyzed by a group of men in Haifa, however more samples are needed for a conclusive report. This is an old DNA and family present in the area. This Magnatte family or early Bozzi line may have originally been a noble line from Lama dei Peligna per the Paglione documents.
These proceeding seven names have had advanced BigY700 DNA testing conducted and the results have found they are all related to a common male ancestor in Gesso roughly 600 years ago and relating back to Germany in the 10th century-- a family of Jewish rabbi's probably originally from Spain. While the journey to Abruzzo is uncertain, the Y-DNA results are beyond contestation. These results will apply to anyone with ancestry from Gesso with these surnames:
Turco (Turchi) (J-M267+, J-FGC11+) Jewish Cohanim
Sirolli J-M267+, FGC11+) Jewish Cohanim
Troilo (J-M267+, J-FGC11+) Jewish Cohanim
D’Orazio (J-M267) Jewish Cohanim
All names listed above were originally first names or patrilineal lines.
These men are linked together with a common male ancestor within the last 800 years per BigY700 DNA and YFULL analysis. The research on each line demonstrates their presence in Gessopalena in the 1500’s however where their common ancestor intersects is still unknown. There may be a Spanish origin to this group as well. Several of these lines will eventually adopt a noble title per the accumulation of lands and assets obtained from the original affluent families in Gessopalena.
Innaurato/ Naurato (J-M267+, J-FGC11+, Big Y) Jewish Cohanim
Alternate patrilineal names: Ruggiero, Adornato, Natale.
Leonello alias Persiani (J-M267+, J-FGC11+) Jewish Cohanim NB: Originally the surname derives from ancestor Presiano di Leonello, his son Antonio uses Presiano as his surname, which morphs to every Persiani family we see in Gessopalena today.
Caporella (J-M267+, J-FGC11+) Jewish Cohanim
The Big Y results of Innaurato and Persiano have demonstrated that these men had a common male ancestor in the mid-1500s. Caporella, a surname from Lanciano, while not connected through the Big Y testing, has Y111 markers that also include this family in the same group. Persiano originated from the ancestor, Presiano de Leonello in Gessopalena. In the late 1500 we see the break-away from this surname where the surname Leonello is dropped—Presiano de Leonello has a son Antonio who will take the first name of his father and become, Antonio Presiano which we see in the documents evolve to Persiano. This line will eventually become one of the 18th-century “noble” lines we see in Gessopalena through good marriages and dowries of the earlier wealthier families. This grouping has a later Spanish DNA.
Sambuco (R-Z49)
Pellicciotta (I-A427+) Pellicciotti, Pelliciotta, Pellicciotto (and maybe Pellicioilli who settled in Archi but may originally be from Bergamo (per Regesti Marciani)): This line has been researched back to the 16th century as well and is of a very wealthy lineage and presence by the time we see them in Gessopalena’s notary books. They rival the Accettella lineage (although not as grand) in early families recorded in the Paglione books. The earlier name of Scipione Pellicciotta is married to Donna Giovanni di Mulino Espanuala.
Italiano (Taliano) (G-PF3378+) Line has been researched back to 1500's Gessopalena.
D'Amelio (de Emilio) (J-M172)
Tozzi (E-M35) Fossacesia. This surname is found in Abruzzo and other areas of Italy but obviously, I am focused on the origins of this line. This Tozzi lineage is a stand-alone line currently.
Tozzo/Tozzi/Cervano (R-BY116638) Additional surnames, Tonno, and Zopo. and the alias Lamacuccio. This family was present in Gessopalena well into the mid-1500s but like some of the others listed here, possibly from the Iberian Peninsula. The family first appears in the Paglione notary documents as Cervano, or Tozzo, alias Lamacuccia. Lamacuccia is the name of a hamlet in Gessopalena now called, Contrada della Pila, and refers to the area where the Celestine monastery of San Giovanni once stood. We see in another document, Lamacuccio sen, San Giovanni (Lamacucchio or San Giovanni). This family will gain significant wealth from the Cucchiarone family and donations from the tiberino lineage, and maintain a significant presence in the church. The name Cervano will slowly fade in the documents and baptismal record for the surname, Tozzo, and eventually, Tozzi. Several branches of this line will break away and settle in Rocca San Giovanni, Lama dei Peligna, and Ortona.
Fara San Martino:
De Cecco (J-PH2725+) This family is more than likely of Jewish origins. The De Cecco line in Fara San Martina “stem” from the same ancient Y-DNA as Larcinese/Tiberino however this group breaks away VERY early, with current analysis being about 1200 BCE from the Tiberino and Larcinese pack. There is a main line of De Cecco in northern Italy.
Guardiagrele:
Arciprete (T-M70+)
Palmiero (R1)
Di Crescenzo (J-M172 + M67)
De Lucia (R-Z72+)
Casoli:
Caniglia
Lanciano:
Dell Bello (R-M269)
Palombaro:
Di Yenno (Ienno) (J-M267+) Jewish Cohanim
Roccascalegna:
Di Loreto (J-Z1297+, J-BY185356+, Big Y) Money lenders in Roccascalegna this line is researched back to the early 1600’s.
Cianci/Cionci (J-Z1846+)
Casalbordino:
Tiberio- (E-M35)
Teramo/Rome/ Parma/ northern Italy:
Arcioni/Arzoni/Arcionibus/Archione: (R-M269) More than likely, Teramo and Rome. The Y-DNA of two Arcioni men 600 miles apart (Parma and Gubbio) and not genealogically connected demonstrates that these two have a significant relationship with one another 600 years ago. I was able to trace these two specific lines of the Arcioni family by using the feuds owned by Archbishop Nicola Arcioni of Teramo. This Arcioni lineage may have been the grand line in Rome and other parts of Italy and while there were no records of the bishop Arcioni having any other family with him in Teramo, the Y-DNA results suggest different—this line, originally from Rome continued in central and northern Italy however today is extinct in Rome.
Zeni (PF5456+) (unknown origins, Como area, Italy)
While the Y-DNA tests have provided us with undeniable common male ancestry and origins of some of these families, we are still conducting and searching for participants in the Abruzzo area who would like to test their Y DNA and understand their origins. While the main premise of this study is to discover and recover theorigins of families who once existed here, we are also researching many lineages who could be from a Persian, German, Norman, Slavic, Greek descent-- to name a few. Please contact us for more information.
Copyright © 2024 Digging the Past, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.