Scalcini/Digoncelli | Scalcini.com

ORIGINS OF ITALIAN NAMES

SCALCINI

Corruption of the 15th century name Scalvini. Name is derived from the Val di Scalve in the Lombardia region near Bergamo. Scalvini’s were found in the Sondrio region as early as 1600. The Scalcini name is very rare in Italy and is only found in Lombardia.

DIGONCELLI

The name means “little duke.” Various spellings of the name are found in the Madesimo region of Sondrio in 1587 with Guglielmo Duconcelli and his father Lorenzo Dagonzellus. Through the centuries the spelling oscillated between Duconzelli, Digonzelli and Digoncelli. Today, Digonzelli is used in the Valchiavenna region and Digoncelli in Piantedo.

DELNERO

Nero is from the Emilia region of Italy. It comes from the medieval Italian word Nerone meaning “black.” The addition of “del” to the beginning of the name just signifies “from the Black family.”

DEGHI

The name first appears in Teggiate high in the val di San Giacomo in the Valchiavena area of Lombardia in 1478. There were many Deghi’s in the 1500’s and they emigrated from the high country in search of jobs. They settled in Madesimo, Piantedo, and the lowlands of the Valtellina. The name comes from the medieval Italian name ghio and menas “from ghio’s family.”

GIBOLI

The Giboli name comes from Gugliermo “Gibolus” Falcinella of Madesimo (1557). In 1621, the family stops using Falcinella and uses Giboli as its surname. The Giboli’s moved from Madesimo to Piantedo and today this is where the majority of Giboli’s reside.

ACQUISTAPACE

This is one of those Italian names that is spread all over Italy and is found in every region of the country. It is made up of two Italian words; acqua-water and pace-peaceful, calm. The name means calm, peaceful waters.

This region is also the most Catholic part of Italy with the highest percentage of churchgoers in all the country. Piantedo has more churches per capita than anywhere else in Europe. St Maria Nascente, the church where Nonno was baptized is one of the town’s most famous and is filled with some remarkable Italian art. On of the prized works is “Vergine Alata” (The Virgin with Wings.)

This small community’s artistic talent is seen in the religious art of its churches and bell towers. From the road one sees the high bell tower of the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary of Thanksgiving and the Suffragio. The building is encircled by trees and has a small capuchin monastery . Over the great altar is a 14th century fresco representing The Madonna with Wisdom. Another painting over the altar is by local painter, Eliseo Fumagalli (1937).. In Piantedo the bell tower of the parochial church is clearly visible. It was erected in 1673 and the elegant green door added in 1766. Above the door is a carving of the Blessed Trinity and some fragments of other figures that go back to the 15th century