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ArchivesRe: Italian surname with the element Gelso in it
in reply to a message by Marc
More than the word Gelso I am interested in finding out if there is any Italian surname which derives from the Mulberry tree (As the Spanish surname Morales derives from the White or Black Mulberryes) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morus_alba or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morus_nigra
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Gelso also means 'mulberry' in Italian. As well, there's the surname Mora which can come from mora 'blackberry, mulberry'.
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Mora is widely spread in Italy as a surname but mostly it means "dark". Instead Gelso and Gelsi is extremely rare in northern Italy:It appear, is more in the Centre and Southern Italy especially in Sicily.
In Northern dialect we used words more similar to the french word "Murier"i.e. "Muré" or "Moron" in Lombardy or "Morèr" in Venice. Gelso has come through Tuscany, mainly Florence. In Italy we speak it widely since last century.
The word "gelso" has now a greater consideration in Tuscany or even in Sicily: name of pubs, restaurants,etc:
In Sicily the More of Mulberry are used to prepare drinks.
In Northern Italy the plantation of mulberries were severely damaged from 1900 up to 1920 an almost desappeared.
In Northern dialect we used words more similar to the french word "Murier"i.e. "Muré" or "Moron" in Lombardy or "Morèr" in Venice. Gelso has come through Tuscany, mainly Florence. In Italy we speak it widely since last century.
The word "gelso" has now a greater consideration in Tuscany or even in Sicily: name of pubs, restaurants,etc:
In Sicily the More of Mulberry are used to prepare drinks.
In Northern Italy the plantation of mulberries were severely damaged from 1900 up to 1920 an almost desappeared.
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So Gelsi can be mulberries or blackberries? I was trying to avoid a surname that is obviously phonetically similiar to the Spanish "Morales" while at the same time it where Italian and shared the same meaning...
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