ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1275
http://www.s-gabriel.org/1275
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4 Oct 1998
From:  (Josh Mittleman)


Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked whether <della Chiara> is a plausible late-period Italian
surname.  Here is what we have found.

Yes.  It is most likely in Tuscany, where similar names are found: <della
Giovanna>, <della Lena>, <della Margarita>, <della Valentina> [1].
<Chiara> is an Italian form of <Clara> found in 15th century Florence [2],
and <della Chiara> follows the same pattern as these examples: <della> +
feminine given name.

<Celesta della Chiara> is a fine name for your period.


I hope this letter has been useful.  Please write us again if any part of
it has been unclear or if you have other questions.  I was assisted in
researching and writing this letter by Talan Gwynek and Maridonna di
Benvenuto.

For the Academy,


  Arval Benicoeur
  5 Oct 1998


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References

[1] Fucilla, Joseph G., _Our Italian Surnames_ (Evanston, IL: Chandlers'
Inc., 1949), pp.33-4.

[2] Arval Benicoeur, "Feminine Given Names from the Online Catasto of
Florence of 1427" (WWW: J. Mittleman, 1998).
http://www.panix.com/~mittle/names/arval/catasto

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