The distinguished surname Mariani originated in an area of Italy, known as the Papal States. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adapt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. The most traditional type of family name found in the region of the Papal States is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name. During the Middle Ages, Italians adopted the patronymic system of name-making because it perfectly complemented the prevailing Feudal System. In Italy the popularity of patronymic type of surname is also due to the fact that during the Christian era, people often named their children after saints and biblical figures. The surname Mariani came from the given name Mariano which was used in honor of the martyr St. Mariano. The name may have been also derived from the expression "Maria Vergine" or "the Virgin Mary."
Early Origins of the Mariani family
The surname Mariani was first found in Umbria in the ancient city of Assisi, famous for Saint Francis, the founder of the Franciscan order based on poverty and a love for nature. Records are found in 1111, with the Mariani family, of highest nobility in the city at this time.
Early History of the Mariani family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mariani research. More information is included under the topic Early Mariani History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Mariani Spelling Variations
In comparison with other European surnames, Italian surnames have a surprising number of forms. They reflect the regional variations and the many dialects of the Italian language, each with its own distinctive features. For example, in Northern Italy the typical Italian surname suffix is "i", whereas in Southern Italy it is "o". Additionally, spelling changes frequently occurred because medieval scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded rather than according to any specific spelling rules. The spelling variations in the name Mariani include Mariani, Mariano, Marianinni, Marianna, Marianelli and many more.
Early Notables of the Mariani family (pre 1700)
Prominent among members of the family was Camillo Mariani (1565-1611), an Italian sculptor of the early Baroque; Giacomo Mariani, a Vicar in Assisi during the mid 15th century...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mariani Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Mariani migration to the United States +
Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Mariani or a variant listed above:
Mariani Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Luis Mariani, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1860 
- Achille Mariani, aged 34, who immigrated to the United States from Napoli, in 1897
Mariani Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Alessandro Mariani, aged 22, who settled in America from Ancarano, Italy, in 1907
- Agostino Mariani, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Ponte Buggionese, Italy, in 1909
- Achille Mariani, aged 24, who immigrated to America from Veroli, Roma, in 1909
- Alessandro Mariani, aged 38, who immigrated to the United States from Costacciaro, Italy, in 1909
- Alepandrol Mariani, aged 17, who landed in America from Paliani, Italy, in 1909
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Mariani (post 1700) +
- Paul Mariani (b. 1940), American biographer and poet
- Marc Steven Mariani (b. 1987), American NFL football player
- Orazio Mariani (1915-1981), Italian Olympic silver medalist runner at the 1936 Summer Olympics
- Maurilio Mauro Mariani (b. 1973), Italian pole vaulter who competed at the 1999 World Championships
- Domenico Mariani (1863-1939), Roman Catholic Church Cardinal, President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See
- Cesare Mariani (1826-1901), Italian painter and architect
- Angelo Mariani (1821-1873), Italian conductor and composer
- Thierry Mariani (b. 1958), French politician, Secretary of State for Transport for the Minister of Ecology
- Angelo Mariani (1838-1914), French chemist, inventor of the first cocawine, Vin Mariani, in 1863
- ^ Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)