Italian Surnames

[Angel25]

To keep this short and simple, I was wondering if the surname Valentine is also how some Italians in Italy spell the name. I know Valentino and Valentini are the common Italian spellings but what about Valentine? Most websites say Valentine is the spelling in Britain (and among people in English nations but nothing about Italians).

This is the only website I've found so far that has Valentine as an Italian spelling variant.
http://www.thetreemaker.com/family-coat ... italy.html

Also, is Evangelista a common Italian surname?
Some sources say Evangelista is Italian origin while other sources say its Spanish origin?

Only asked out of curiosity because I've always been interested in names and their ethnicity/origins.

[mmogno]

http://www.paginebianche.it/contacognome?qs=evangelista
http://www.cognomix.it/mappe-dei-cognom ... VANGELISTA

[Barbarossa]

I'm currently working on an indirect branch of family (connected to a cousin by marriage).
That search has taken me the far North of Italy - actually, north and off the coast of Croatia to the Island of Cres (aka Cherso - same name of the city too, of which I've been pouring through the Croatian church records for from 1500-late 1800s). These records are for the Italians who made this Island their home during the 2 spans Italy had title to the area (as the Republic of Venice and as part of Italy - and also as part of Austria at one time.) The title of Cres reverted back to Croatia after the end of WW2.

There's surnames related to that which you posted about from this area - variations of Valentine - influenced by the Slavic past. I've posted to my tree:

Valentin and Valentinich

I thought it worth mentioning even though this is more remote than mainland Italy - many of the names I've found had spread throughout from Venice and southward. That's how my "Pizzacalla" cousin came to marry a "Rodinis" from Cherso, who's roots go back to the Valentin/inich surname as well.

Closer to home for my family (Molise, Campobasso province), the name Valentino appears and Valentine as well

Cheers and good luck in endeavors John

[Anizio]

Generally the surname means "descended from Valentino" or "descended from Valentina" - so Valentino, Valentina, Valentini, Valentine, Valentinetti, Valentinelli etc. etc. as long as they maintain the same root are all legitimate possibilities.

The only way to be sure of course is to check the Italian records in Italy. But remember the British would pronounce it "Vaal-eN-tyne" while Italians would pronounce it more like "Vaal-eN-tee-nay"