Why do Arbereshe have Italian surnames?

As a nation state, Italy has emerged only in 1871. Until then the country was politically divided into a large number of independant cities, provinces and islands. The currently available evidences point out to a dominant Etruscan, Greek and Roman cultural influence on today's Italians.
Post Reply
User avatar
Edward Keeports
Elite
Elite
Posts: 250
Joined: 16 Mar 2015, 22:49

Why do Arbereshe have Italian surnames?

Post by Edward Keeports »

The 4 Arbereshe surnames in my ancestry are

Ciolino
Guzzetta
Sciacca
Zuccaro

All of which appear to be of Italian origin (I think Zuccaro means sugar, for example), even though apparently the Arbereshe maintained their Albanian dialect well into the 20th century. They all have normal Italian given names, too.

Does anyone know why this is?
Top
User avatar
Tessa78
Master
Master
Posts: 18108
Joined: 07 Sep 2009, 18:09

Re: Why do Arbereshe have Italian surnames?

Post by Tessa78 »

You might be interested in reading this...

https://www.albanianinstitute.org/progr ... canderbeg/

T.
Top
User avatar
Edward Keeports
Elite
Elite
Posts: 250
Joined: 16 Mar 2015, 22:49

Re: Why do Arbereshe have Italian surnames?

Post by Edward Keeports »

Tessa78 wrote: 22 Sep 2020, 17:25 You might be interested in reading this...

https://www.albanianinstitute.org/progr ... canderbeg/

T.
Interesting...thanks!
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Italian History & Culture”