Cavallini Surname Early Origins

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
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Surname/tag: Cavallini

The surname CAVALLINI comes from the words "cavalieri", meaning Knight, horseman, rider; or from "cavallaro" which means horse dealer.

The name CAVALLINI hails from ITALY, and from the region EMILIA-ROMAGNA in particular.

Until the 12 century, surnames were really unheard of. People only had one name because that was all that was required to distinguish them from one another. At first, this names were individual and were not passed on from parent to child, but eventually this practises also caught on and surnames become hereditary.

The name CAVALLINI was traced to its source at FERRARA, one of the most prosperous cities at early time. Records locate the Cavalieri family in Ferrara as early as the 9th century, when GIOVANNI CAVALIERI defended his vast lands against the Venetians.

Nearly all European surnames have several spelling variations because only scribes and church officials could read and write at the time, names were usually spoken, not written and therefore had no fixed spelling and were written as they were pronounced.

Italian surnames have a disproportionately large number of variations in comparison to names from other languages.

The names Cavallo, Cavalli, CAVALLINI, Cavallino, Cavallina, Cavallin, Cavalletti, Cavalletto, Cavallotti, Cavallotto, Cavallone, Cavallacci, Cavallazzi, Cavallucci, Cavallari, Cavallaro, Cavallar, Cavalleri, Cavallero, Cavaleri, Cavalero, Cavalieri, Cavalieri, are all variations on the name CAVALLINI and all share the same origin.

Situated in northern Italy, Emilia-Romagna consist of the rich PO VALLEY in the south and the ETRUSCAN APENNINES in the north. Italy was a part of the ROMAN EMPIRE and Roman roads ran all across it in the first few centuries AD.

The name Emilia comes from one of these roads, “Via Aemilia” which linked Rimini to Piacenze; Romagna joined later. The region contains many of the most important Italian cities, including Bologna, Ferrara, Forli, Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Ravenna.

The Roman Empire ruled over the area until the 6th century, when the whole Empire collapsed. Shortly thereafter, a Germanic tribe known as the LOMBARDS founded a kingdom known as Lombardy, which covered a large part of the northern and central Italy. This kingdom flourished until the Lombard dynasty was overthrown by the famous king CHARLEMAGNE and his paladins in 774.

Meanwhile, the area known as Romagna was under BYZANTINE rule between the 6th and 8th centuries and Ravenna was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. In the 8th century the region become a province of the PAPAL STATES when PEPIN, the son of Charlemagne gave the region to the POPE.

During the 10th century, all of northern Italy became a part of the HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE under the German leader OTTO. In the 12th century, the papacy increased its political influence and cities states began to form in opposition to the Holy Roman emperors. For the next few centuries, both Emilia and Romagna were ruled by papal legates, representatives of the Pope sent to manage the government and prevent such rebellion.

The CAVALLINI family continued to be found in Emilia-Romagna, and in other parts of the ITALIAN PENINSULA.

Prominent among members of the family was Pietro CAVALLINI (1259-1344), a well known painter in Rome (probably came from Firenze) in the 13th century; Giovanni CAVALLINI dei Cerroni, (Rector of Rome 1351~52); Giovanna CAVALLINI dei Buonaguidi, (1363) wife of Averardo III de MEDICI in Firenze, Sigismondo Cavalli, a Count in Verona around 1450; Francesco CAVALLINI born in Bissone (1640-?), sculptor; Gaspare CAVALLINI born in Cingoli (1530-1589) Doctor in law; Giuseppe CAVALLINI of Pisa (1735-?), a prominent author; Gaspare CAVALLINI, (Mede 1817-Lesa1903) Italian senator and Virgino CAVALLINI (Fornacette, Pisa 1875-Camaiore 1944) submarine designer expert.

Notables bearing other spelling of this surname include: Gian Marco Cavalli (1454-1508), a Italian medalist, sculptor and goldsmith; Giovanni Battista Cavalletto, a painter, sculptor, poet and musician in Bologna around 1500; Emilio di Cavalieri, a 16th century composer; Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676), an Italian composer of the early Baroque period; Bernardo Cavallino, a painter in Naples in 1620; Francesco Cavalli, a 17 century composer; Cavallino, Tiberius Cavallo (1749-1809), Italian physician and Francesco Cavalieri, a 17 century mathematician.

Much of northern Italy, including the era of Emilia came under FRENCH control during NAPOLEONIC ERA. Nonetheless, after the Congress of Vienna in 1818, there was a growing movement for Italian national unity and independence. In 1848, a revolution in Vienna initiated uprisings in several regions and in 1861 the KINGDOM OF ITALY was established. During this Italian Unification, the territories of Emilia and Romagna were incorporated to the new nation.

Before Italy achieved its independence, very few people left for the New World. Even after the independence, however some people felt the need to emigrate, for a variety of reasons as the new world promises a place where acceptance and tolerance were easy to come by. The greater influx of Italian immigrants occurred between 1840s and the 1920s.

CAVALLINI families have been settled in countries around the world and can be found in large groups in; USA, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, Norway, Germany, Neteherlands, Czech, Belgium, France, Canada, etc.

Prominent bearers of this CAVALLINI family in recent times include Eugenio CAVALLINI (1806-1881), Italian conductor, composer, violinist and violist; Ernesto CAVALLINI (1807-1874), Italian clarinetist and composer, born in Milan; Emilio CAVALLINI (B.1945), Italian fashion designer; Fernando CAVALLINI (1893-1976), Italian fencer at the 1912 Summer Olympics; Leonardo CAVALLINI, (B.1960), Italian bobsledder; Filippo CAVALLINI (b.1978), Italian bass player; Gino CAVALLINI (B.1962) retired Canadian NHL ice hockey forward; Lucas CAVALLINI (B. 1992), Canadian soccer player; and Paul Edward “Wally” CAVALLINI (b.1965) retired Canadian NHL ice hockey defence man.

This wikipedia page is about Emilio CAVALLINI, my FB friend and very possible relative, Italian fashion designer born in San Miniato, Pisa, Toscana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emilio_Cavallini

This is about a prestigious family in Ancona (1365) that moved to Cingoli (1550 ~ ) - (Italian):

CAVALLINI Antica e nobile famiglia di Ancona dove trovasi i suoi membri aver ricoperte le principali cariche fin dal 1365. Si trasferi poi a Cingoli e qui nel 1500 circa fu ascritta a quella nobilita rendendosi benemerita della nuova patria Degli illustri personaggi ne uscirono e alcuni scrittori di bella fama fra cui nel 1550 Gaspari I.V.D. autore di insigni opere, e altri prodi guerrieri. Sei furono vescovi e due cavalieri di Malta. Apparteneva a questa casa quel monsignor che nel 1870 era archivescovo di Spoleto e di Adana in partibus e prima nel 1764 Gio. Francesco fu vescovo di Alatri. Rami della famiglia portarono i cognomi di Spadoni. Di Mucciolanti. Di Agliata. Oggi la famiglia e divisa in tre rami, di cui il primo e terzo con discendenza; il secondo in via di stingersi essendovi una sola femmina entrata in casa Puccianti. La famiglia porto il titolo comitale, infatti nei documenti e detto. De comitibus C. La Consulta Araldica (v. Elenco nobiliare ufficiale delle Marche 1908) dichiaro spettare a questa famiglia il titolo di nobile di Cingoli.(mf)

For those who likes to see some pictures; see this link about Bolognesi families, CAVALLINI noble arms: http://badigit.comune.bologna.it/canetoli/canetoli.aspx?Cod=a351 http://badigit.comune.bologna.it/canetoli/canetoli.aspx?Cod=a3678 http://badigit.comune.bologna.it/canetoli/canetoli.aspx?Cod=c351

This link is about the CAVALLINI surname distributed in all ITALY and in the USA: http://www.gens.info/italia/it/turismo-viaggi-e-tradizioni-italia?cognome=cavallini&x=37&y=17#.V-R45Ydf0dU