answersLogoWhite

0

This Italian surname of LUEVANO was derived from the Hebrew male given name of LEVI (joining) and was borne by a son of Jacob and Leah (Genesis 29:34) Bearers of this given name or surname are Levites, members of the tribe of Levi, who form a hereditary caste who assist the KOHANIM (the priest). They are traditionally regarded as descended from Aaron, brother of Moses. The name has numerous forms of spellings which include LEVI, LEVITA, LEVIT, LEWITT, LEVITAN, LEIVICK, LEVITES, LEVISON, LEVINSOHN and LEVINOV to name but a few. Despite evidence that hereditary surnames were in use in the Venetian Republic as early as the 10th Century, the origin of many Italian surnames is unclear. There is still a great potential for research into medieval Italian records while documented evidence indicates the adoption of the father's name as a surname is the most common form. The familiar endings of "i" and "o", meaning to be a member of a certain family, bears this out. The Church played a very important role in Central Italian heraldry and many Italian families who derived their titles from popes incorporated elements of the papal insignia, notably the papal tiara and the crossed keys, on their Coats of Arms. As in the rest of Europe, the turbulent history of Italy in the Middle Ages is reflected in its heraldry. Traces remain from the successive invasions of the Germans, French, Spanish and Austrians. Certain characteristics, such as the use of horse-shaped shields which were put on the foreheads of horses during tournaments, remain uniquely Italian. Social conditions in Southern Italy during the agricultural depression of the late 19th Century spurred the first wave of emigration as thousands of people escaped to the New World. Latin America was the original destination for these early settlers but as the economy strengthened in the United States, North America became more popular. The lion depicted in the crest is the noblest of all wild beasts which is made to be the emblem of strength and valour, and is on that account the most frequently borne in Coat-Armour.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

What else can I help you with?