Let’s name names!
South-East Lodigiano

Terranova dei Passerini – October 27^th and (repeat) November 6^th, 2011

What: local history of Middle, Renaissance and Modern Ages.
Where: Terranova dei Passerini (Lodi, Italy).
How: conference.
When: October 27^th, Thursday, and (repeat) November 6^th, 2011, Sunday.
Info: mobile (+39) 349 2203693; e-mail davide@tansini.it.

Ambrogio Lorenzetti.
Allegory of the effects of the Good Government in the Town.
Sienna, Public Palace.
1338-1339.
Fresco (particular).

Names and surnames are a fundamental part of our every-day life: they appear on official deeds and documents, distinguish us from each other, allow to identify and recognize ourselves, coming to pass the memory of the people for centuries. But you are often unaware of origins and meaning of them (the so-called etymology), useful to understand also important aspects of social history which underpin the present reality.

It will be up to a meeting by form of conference to analyze history, origins, meanings and relationships of the name and surname research in a specific area of lower Lombardy: precisely, Let’s name names! South-East Lodigiano (Facciamo nomi e cognomi! Sud-Est Lodigiano) will be the title of this undertaking conceived by historian Davide Tansini, programmed in Terranova dei Passerini (Lodi) on October 27^th, Thursday, at 21:00 and (repeat) November 6^th, 2011, Sunday, at 17:30.

During the meeting Tansini will bring to the attention of the public aspects, characteristics and peculiarities of the research on names and surnames in the area of the lower Lodigiano between Adda and Po (Bertonico, Camairago, Casalpusterlengo, Caselle Landi, Castelnuovo Bocca d’Adda, Castiglione d’Adda, Cavacurta, Cavenago d’Adda, Codogno, Corno Giovine, Cornovecchio, Fombio, Maccastorna, Mairago, Maleo, Meleti, Secugnago, San Fiorano, San Martino in Strada, San Rocco al Porto, Santo Stefano Lodigiano, Terranova dei Passerini, Turano Lodigiano). Above all, the surnames: in their distributions, frequencies, variations, substitutions they tell the history of the territory and of its people from Middle to Modern Ages.

It won’t be a meeting based on etymology and philology only. Indeed, the main aspect of the meeting will focus on discovering how in the few letters of every surname they can find old crafts, military invasions, territorial colonizations, ethnic migrations, personal gifts, even insults and epithets more or less collective. In short, a speech which will occupy itself with not one but more cultural aspects, and well diversified: art, economy, religiousness, society, territory, even anecdotes, cooking and curiosities, in a way Tansini has tested for years as historian and divulgator.

From this speech it will spring the description of a complex but fascinating past in its variety, full of meanings and of values made more interesting by the fact in (local and not only) names and surnames it’s possible to find till today animated and felt aspects: quest for a social status, immigration and emigration, economic performance, racism, ethnic and religious identity, marginalization, political changes.

Lights and shades of a past which helps to reflect on the present and to understand it: this is the topical of the history. Precisely, Let’s name names! South-East Lodigiano will try to make rediscovered the memory of who we are through a part of the history which is very close to all us.

Caselle Landi (Lodi, Italy).
Castle.
West corner.
2007.
Digital filing (2007-01563).

• Organization – Davide Tansini, in collaboration with the Commune of Terranova dei Passerini (Lodi).

• Conceiving and leading – Davide Tansini, historian and studious of fortified architecture, associated of the “Istituto Italiano dei Castelli” and of the Istituto per la Storia dell’Arte Lombarda”.

• Notes – The Let’ name names! South-East Lodigiano (Facciamo nomi e cognomi! Sud-Est Lodigiano) initiative is organized by Davide Tansini in collaboration with the Communal Administration of Terranova dei Passerini, by form of public conference. The initiative nor has neither proposes profit aims, and participation is free and gratis. Mentionned dates and places can undergo cancellations and/or variations without necessity or responsibility of forewarning by Davide Tansini.
  

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Sententia Eriprandi (October 19^th, 1156).
In Cesare Vignati, Codice Diplomatico Laudense.
1879.
Digital filing.

Davide Tansini’s contacts:

• mobile (+39) 349 2203693;

• e-mail davide@tansini.it.