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Hi!
Greetings from an English Quarterman!
Have not long joined the list and think it is a very good idea.
Is anyone out there aware that the surname also exists in Italy?
It is QUATTROMANI, but it means the same and the coat of arms is virtually
identical to Quarterman.
There are quite a few Quattromani families in the States who are obviously
Italian immigrant descendents.In Italy today there are many, mostly centred
in the south- Calabria,Napoli,Rome etc.
The surname exists here because the Normans invaded and ruled the south of
what is now Italy about the same time as the conquest of England.(They
created Palermo as the capital of Sicily)
The name has also connections with Italian nobility and the island of Malta.
I am wondering whether the surname began, or had its origination in Norman
Italy?
I tend to think this because i cannot find any evidence that the knights
quatremaynes came over with the conquest of England, or where they came from
in Normandy.
Carter postulates Caen in Normandy, yet there is no trace of them ever
coming from this place.Infact the QUATREMAINES in France today (there does
not seem to be very many) live mostly around Paris and not one in Normandy.
In Italy there are many many Quattromani families, outnumbering the French
Quatremains.Also i know that Italian Normans DID settle in England and
Normandy in the 100 years after the conquest, even though the two kingdoms
were ruled separately and not part of an actual empire.
(The amphibious element of William's invasion was only made possible by the
advice and assistance of Italian Normans,who already had much experience of
it in the conquest of Sicily)
Lastly there is a family in Italy called 'Cinquemani' - meaning Five
hands!!!!!
(Although i don't think there is a serious connection here)
I shall endeavour to contact some of the French Quatremains and Italian
Quattromani in due course.
There is a QUATTROMANI ancestral website under construction on Malta net,
showing only the coat of arms at the moment.It can be accessed via most
genealogy sites.
I would be very interested in anybodies opinions regarding this theory.
Farewell,Robin.
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