Faccini

Recorded in a number of spellings including Faccia, Facciano, Faccini, Facchini, Faccchetti, and others, this is an Italian nickname surname. It derives from the pre 14th century word "facia", meaning "The face" as in the human face, and was originally given to somebody with very striking features. As to what was so "striking", history does not reveal, but this name is one of a large group of surnames found in almost every European country which relate to virtually all parts of the body. Some, by the standards of the late 20th century, may be regarded as at best robust, and more likely, quite obscene. Our ancestors who generally had a broader sense of humour, do not seem to have been concerned! Early christening examples of the surname recordings, or at least as early as surviving church registers for Italy are able to provide, include Ioannam Facini, on January 23rd 1686, at Piano di Auta, Voine, Rosia Facchetti at San Benedetto, Mantova, on November 26th 1742, and Sebastian Faccini at Mondovi, Cuneo, on January 20th 1882. The earliest recording that we have been able to trace from the church registers is that of Giovanni Facciano, at Pontelandolfo, Benevento, Italia, on December 31st 1592.