Origin of the family name
The Anzolato family is a branch of the noble and illustrious lineage Metaxa from Constantinople,
whose origins are lost in time immemorial. As regards to the Metaxa surname, tradition has it
deriving from the word silk, that in the Greek language is translated with µetaxa (metaxa)
It is handed down that Emperor Giustiniano confered the surname Metaxa to the family of two monks
of St. Basilio who introduced to Constantinople the crop of the silkworms which notably increased the Imperial Revenues.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Marcantonio Metaxa, who had been adviser and
fellow soldier of the last Emperor Costantino IX Paleologo, went to Cephalonia and settled
in the village of Franzata, subsequently called Metaxata. In Cephalonia the Metaxas were enrolled,
in 1593, in the Libro d'Oro and belonged to the Consiglio dei Nobili until 1864, when the Ionian
Islands were united with the Kingdom of Greece.
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The conferring of the title Count in perpetuity
In the second half of the seventeenth century some members of the family Metaxas equipped two battalions of infantrymen, and fought with honor under command of the general Francesco Morosini.
In 1691, in recognition of their services, the Republic of Venice granted the brothers Angelo and Anastasio Metaxa the title of Count, transmissible in perpetuum to all descendants.
The Count Angelo (Anzolo, in Venetian dialect) Metaxa became the founder of Metaxa Anzolato family.
The title of Count was recognized from the Senate of the United States of the Islands Ionie, with decree 10 February 1841.
Many members of the Metaxa family distinguished themselves in political and military appointments.
In the nineteenth century, some members of the Metaxa family settled in Austria, Russia and in England.
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The English Branch of the Family Anzolato
The English branch of the Anzolatos draws its origin from the sons of Count Spiridione Metaxa Anzolato; they became English citizens in the 19th century. The son Giovanni Battista was also received into the English nobility.
[1]
The Anglo-Italian branch of the Counts Scott Anzolato or Anzolato derives from another son, George.
Count George Metaxa Anzolato, lawyer and deputy of the Ionic Parliament, married Elizabeth Scott,
and their eldest son was named Charles Henry Scott Anzolato.
Charles Henry Scott Anzolato (1825-1914), on 18 September 1849, married in the Parish Church of
Islington, Middlesex , Arabella, daughter of Frederick Hyde of Hyde End, Berkshire.
They had three sons and one daughter: Carlo Enrico, Arabella, Federico and Giorgio Emilio.
I) - Carlo Enrico Scott Anzolato (1850-1900), married Adelaide Pironti di Francesco dei Duchi di Campagna and had four daughters: Carlotta, Ernestina, Ersilia and Elvira.
Carlotta Anzolato married Luigi Romagnoli and had two sons and one daughter: Carlo, Giovanni and Lina. Carlo Romagnoli, lieutenant colonel pilot, who died in 1941, was awarded to gold medal for military valour.
II) - Arabella Anzolato, married Giacomo Carlo Pironti di Francesco dei Duchi di Campagna.
III) - Federico Anzolato Blake (1853-1886), married Filomena d’Onofrio and had one son and four daughters: Cecilia Arabella, Adelina Edvige, Maria Giuseppa, Francesco and Arabella Isabella.
Cecilia Arabella Anzolato married Tommaso Altieri and has had one son and two daughters: Federico, Olimpia and Rosina Anna [2].
Adelina Edvige Anzolato married Giovanni Battista Massarotti and had one son and one daughter: Raffaele and Anna.
Maria Giuseppa Anzolato married Antonio Bassi.
Francesco Anzolato and Arabella Isabella Anzolato died in childhood.
IV) - Giorgio Emilio Scott Anzolato (1856-1947), married Cristina d’Onofrio and had six sons and three daughters: Carlo Gennaro, Francesco Salvatore, Anna Filomena, Federico Liberato, Luigi Maria Liberato, Alfonso Maria, Maria Concetta, Luigi Achille and Arabella Concetta.
Francesco Salvatore Anzolato married Olimpia Altieri and had one son and three daughters: Giorgio, Cristina, Beatrice and Cecilia.
Maria Concetta Anzolato, married Domenico Sepede and had three daughters: Rita, Cristina and Anna.
Federico Liberato Anzolato,married Dora Bassi.
Anna Filomena Anzolato married Amerigo Antonelli.
Luigi Maria Liberato Anzolato, Alfonso Maria Anzolato and Luigi Achille Anzolato died in childhood.
Author: Renato Cifonelli
[1]
- Burke Bernard, A genealogical and heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage
of the British Empire.
[2] - My mother.
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Acknowledgements:
Many thanks to Renato Cifonelli for the contents of this page.
(Entitled - 'Memorie storiche
della famiglia Anzolato di Pietravairano').
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