Giramonti Family Celebrates 500 Years with Genealogical Research
The Giramonti gathered in Castelletto to celebrate 500 years of history. The idea of reconstructing the origins of the family surname came to Dante Giramonti of Bolzano just a year ago. Today, the fruits of this research can be seen. The genealogical study has taken the determined Bolzanino back in history by about five centuries. The Giramonti adventure begins in fact in 1470, when a certain Frenchman named Ziramontus set foot in Biaza di Castelletto; from there, the Giramonti lineage appears to originate.
Genealogical reconstruction and meetings
Mr. Dante managed to reconstruct his family tree starting from the French wanderer, tracing back generation after generation until the present day. To celebrate the event, the descendants of the Giramonti gathered in Castelletto: around 120 people responded to the Bolzanino’s call, all authentic Giramonti, of course, arriving even from Argentina. Dante Giramonti succeeded in piecing together five centuries of his ancestors’ history mainly thanks to church records, but he also credits a good amount of luck.
Historical research and difficulties
“The encounter with Mr. Benzinelli was providential,” the Bolzanino recounts, “who is collecting all the parish registers of the villages around Lake Garda to then input the information found into a computer. The greatest difficulties I encountered were between 1850 and 1870, years when emigration to other countries began.” The researcher from Bolzano also received help from a Napoletano youth passionate about family trees, who raised doubts about the descent from the French wanderer Ziramontus.
The first of the lineage, according to this young man’s research, would instead be a Milanese gentleman involved in a murder, who later fled the city; one of his sons in subsequent years reportedly reached Biaza di Castelletto. Still, the meaning of the surname is clear: it translates to “turning the mountains” or “arriving through the mountains.”
Meaning of the surname and stories of the Giramonti
So, an interesting story, certainly enriched with details from the accounts of those attending the gathering. An especially noteworthy point: all the Giramonti seem to have been, or are, merchants. Could this be in their DNA?
