Specialists in the reconstruction of genealogies of families originating from Sicily and Southern Italy (Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria regions)
  • EnglishEnglish
    • Italiano Italiano

Southern Italy Genealogical Center

  • Home
  • About us
  • Services
  • Blog
    • GENEALOGY IN SICILY
      • Genealogy in Agrigento
      • Genealogy in Caltanissetta
      • Genealogy in Catania
      • Genealogy in Enna
      • Genealogy in Messina
      • Genealogy in Palermo
      • Genealogy in Ragusa
      • Genealogy in Siracusa
      • Genealogy in Trapani
  • Sources
  • Our library
  • Contact us
Send mail
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Niscemi: its foundation and its first inhabitants

Niscemi: its foundation and its first inhabitants

Niscemi: its foundation and its first inhabitants

by Marcello D'Aleo / Tuesday, 25 May 2021 / Published in Blog

Niscemi is a town of 25639 inhabitants, located in the province of Caltanissetta. Its vast territory, inhabited since ancient times, in the Middle Ages was part of the county of Grassuliato (a castle-farmhouse a few kilometers from Mazzarino).

The Branciforti family, owner of this vast feudal domain, between the end of the sixteenth century and the early seventeenth century began the work of dismembering the fiefdom in order to derive greater profits from the census revenues.

                                                                   Niscemi – Main Square

According to an ancient tradition, on May 16, 1599 a shepherd named Andrea Armao found, in the woods in the Castellana district, an image of the Holy Mother with the blessing Child Jesus. The discovery took place near a source of water to which miraculous properties were soon attributed. The inhabitants of the area built a chapel in which they kept the image and dedicated it to the Madonna delle Grazie, who became the patroness of the nascent village.

                                                        Niscemi – Entrance to the Viewpoint

Religious devotion and the possibility of being able to cultivate the land at advantageous conditions favored the immigration of new settlers, to the point that in 1626 Giovanna Branciforti, in the name and on behalf of her son Giuseppe Branciforti, made a formal request to King Philip IV to be able to found a new town in the fief of Niscemi. On 5 March 1626 Giovanna Branciforti paid the prescribed tax of 400 ounces and on 30 June of the same year she obtained the licentia populandi. On March 25, 1627, Giuseppe Branciforti was invested with the title of prince of Niscemi.

In 1636 the new village had a population of 350 inhabitants, but only starting from the Rivelo (census) of 1656 can we know the composition and origin of the individual families. In that year 159 families lived in Niscemi, for a total of 574 inhabitants.

The following list reports the surnames of the first families residing in Niscemi, with their place of origin. For more information, contact us.

Families residing in Niscemi in 1656, with their place of origin:

A

                                      Niscemi – Main Church

Aldesi – Gela (CL)
Aliotta – Caltagirone (CT)
Amodio – Caltagirone (CT)
Arena – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Aucellaro – Piazza Armerina (EN)

B

Barbara – Niscemi (CL)
Bellomo – Caltagirone (CT)
Bennici – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Blandino – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Blundo – Caltagirone (CT)
Bonello – Caltagirone (CT)

C

Cacciaguerra – Niscemi (CL)
Calati – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Camarda – Gela (CL)
Camiolo – Niscemi (CL)
Niscemi – Interno del Duomo
Camiolo – San Michele di Ganzaria (CT)
Campolino – Aidone (EN)
Caputo- Piazza Armerina (EN)
Carfì – Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG)
Castronovo – Aidone (EN)
Cipolla – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Collura – Aidone (EN)
Collura – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Coniglio – Niscemi (CL)
Consolo – San Michele di Ganzaria (CT)
Costa – San Michele di Ganzaria (CT)
Cozzo – Caltagirone (CT)
Cubo – Gela (CL)
Cutrera – Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG)
Cutrona – Caltagirone (CT)

D

                       Niscemi – Interior of the Main Church

D’Agostino – Caltagirone (CT)
Daidone- Agira (EN)
D’Alessandro – Caltagirone (CT)
D’Alessio – Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG)
D’Ancona – Caltagirone (CT)
D’Atterno – Caltagirone (CT)
D’Evola – Aidone (EN)
Di Bartolomeo – Mineo (CT)
Di Bartolomeo – Monterosso Almo (RG)
Di Bernardo – Caltagirone (CT)
Di Luca – Mineo (CT)
Di Mosa – Niscemi (CL)
Di Naro – San Michele di Ganzaria (CT)
Di Pasquale – Caltagirone (CT)
Di Pasquale – Licodia Eubea (CT)
Di Pisa – Caltagirone (CT)
Di Sano – Agira (EN)
Di Vita – Niscemi (CL)
Dragotta – Caltagirone (CT)

F

Falcone – Licodia Eubea (CT)
Ferlito – Mazzarino (CL)
Ficarra – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Fiduccia – Giarratana (RG)

G

Gianninoto – Licodia Eubea (CT)
Giaquinta – Caltagirone (CT)
Grasso – Aidone (EN)
Gulino – Caltagirone (CT)

I

Ingraci – Gela (CL)

L

La Iacona – Chiaramonte Gulfi (RG)
La Iacona – Ragusa
La Motta – Grammichele (CT)
Lauria – Niscemi (CL)
Licandro – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Lentini – San Michele di Ganzaria (CT)
Lo Castro – Gela (CL)
Lo Greco – Licodia Eubea (CT)
Lo Menzo – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Longo – Caltagirone (CT)
Lo Stuto – Licodia Eubea (CT)
Lumia – San Michele di Ganzaria (CT)

M

Macino – Mineo (CT)
Malerba – Comiso (RG)
Mancino – Mazzarino (CL)
Mangiapane – Caltagirone (CT)
Mangiuni – Niscemi (CL)
Manolfo – Caltagirone (CT)
Mantello – Caltagirone (CT)
Marino – Agira (EN)
Marta – Grammichele (CT)
Martelluzzo – Grammichele (CT)
Martino – Caltagirone (CT)
Mauceri – Barrafranca (EN)
Merendino – Niscemi (CL)
Migliore – Caltagirone (CT)
Milazzo – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Militello – Caltagirone (CT)
Mineo – Aidone (EN)
Miraglia – Ravanusa (AG)
Modica – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Morana – Comiso (RG)
Mortillaro – Caltagirone (CT)
Munciubi – Mineo (CT)

N

Nigito – Gela (CL)

P

Pardo – Comiso (RG)
Pedisacro – Caltagirone (CT)
Petrolo – Caltagirone (CT)
Petta – Licodia Eubea (CT)
Piazza – Caltagirone (CT)
Pirrunello – Caltagirone (CT)
Pità – Aidone (EN)
Pittà – Niscemi (CL)
Policino – Niscemi (CL)
Polizzi – Licodia Eubea (CT)
Portalone – Grammichele (CT)
Prestipino – Savoca (ME)

R

Rizza – Caltagirone (CT)
Rizzo – Buccheri (SR)
Romano – Caltagirone (CT)
Runza – Piazza Armerina (EN)

S

San Marco – Piazza Armerina (EN)
Seminara – Aidone (EN)
Siciliano – Aidone (EN)
Siciliano – Niscemi (CL)
Spatola – Grammichele (CT)
Sperlinga – Caltagirone (CT)
Sutera – Nicosia (EN)

T

Tamburino – Mineo (CT)
Tortorici – Comiso (RG)
Traina – Aidone (EN)

V

Venenato – Gela (CL)
Ventimiglia – Grammichele (CT)
Verdiano – Comiso (RG)
Vicino – Aidone (EN)
Vinci – Caltagirone (CT)
Vinci – Comiso (RG)

Z

Zafferana – Licata (AG)
Zapino – Caltagirone (CT)

Tagged under: genealogy, Niscemi, Sicily, surnames

What you can read next

Pentedattilo view
The surnames of Pentedattilo in 1745
Altofonte
Genealogy in Altofonte
Ficarazzi: its history and surnames

Search our Blog

Blog categories

  • Blog
  • GENEALOGY IN SICILY
    • Genealogy in Caltanissetta
    • Genealogy in Messina
    • Genealogy in Palermo

Discover your origins

Surely you have asked yourself, at least once in your life, questions such as Who were my ancestors? What is the meaning of my surname? Where did my family originate?
The desire to know your origins, the life and activities of your ancestors can be answered through genealogy. Contact us to find out about your family history.

Latest articles added

  • Best Way to Find Ancestors
  • Taormina: Documentary Sources for Genealogical Research
  • Ellis Island
    Ellis Island Records: Sources for Genealogical Research

SOUTHERN ITALY GENEALOGICAL CENTER

The Centre specializes in the reconstruction of the genealogical trees of families originating from Sicily and Southern Italy (Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria regions)

Address: Via D. Quattrociocchi, 141 – 90011 BAGHERIA (PA) - Italy

VAT: IT05894720829

CONTACT US FOR INFORMATION

info@ricercagenealogica.it

Phone: (+39) 329 611 93 39

FILL OUT THE FORM

Before Contacting Us, please read all the needed informations.

  • Home
  • About us
  • Services
  • Blog
  • Sources
  • Our library
  • Contact us

© 2021 | All rights reserved | Website developed by gruppo360

TOP });