IACOPI DISCENDENZE E STORIA

THE IACOPI FAMILIES CURRENTLY EXISTING

The IACOPI family surname is, in fact, a substantially rare family surname, with a very low diffusion, particularly concentrated on the national territory and involving a total of 35 Italian municipalities (see map in Annex H and Annex H1). (Information taken from the www.gens.labo.net).

Moreover, there are on the national territory, as previously highlighted, other families with the surname Jacopi  (Annex H2), Iacoppi (Annex H3) and Iacobi (Annex H4), of decidedly small consistency and practically all overlapping and insistent in the area of diffusion of the Iacopi. The first is almost certainly derived from one of the main branches of the Iacopi, through orthographic and personal changes that took place over the years, while the second should derive from the Florentine IACOPPI de' ROSSI. The current Iacobi family may, on the other hand, not derive from the Iacopi, but it is not excluded that it may also descend from the Central European Jacobi family, which in Italy is a surname of external origin since 1500, as it derives from the homonymous and important German family of the JACOBI.

Finally, for the IACOBBI family, holder of a very rare surname and which is currently branched out in Lombardy and the Varese area, the same could derive, by orthographic modification, from the IACOPPI family, which today has a branch located in the area of Verbania on Lake Maggiore.

For these families I was able to find news of:

• MICHELE JACOBBI from Corato (BA), Medical Second Lieutenant of the 93rd Infantry, who earned a War Cross for Military Valor during the 1^ World War: "Under intense enemy barrage fire, he immediately followed his battalion, managing to immediately establish and operate a dressing post on the new conquered line, San Gabriele, 18 August - 3 September 1917. B.U. 1923, p. 2782".
• ORLANDO of CARLO IACOPPI and Francesca SIBIGLIA, DM of Novara, born in 1911, from Baveno, Corporal Major in the 1st mountain corporal and in the 1^ "Garibaldi" Brigade. Bronze Medal for Military Valor (the motivation for the concession made by Royal Decree of 6 April 1946, for partisan activity B.U. 1946, Disp. 15, p. 1893 Corrected with B.U. 19 Disp. 36, p.4780.

For the sake of completeness, a further research on the distribution of the surname Iacopi/Jacopi, conducted on the www.cognomix.it site, has produced a situation practically mirroring that obtained from the previous site and the results obtained have been processed in Annexes  H8, H9, H10, H11 e H12.

Today it is possible to trace substantially all the IACOPI  families existing in Italy to only two large branches, both of which originate from Tuscany and Florence and, more precisely, the first branch, decidedly more numerous, is that of Lucca (Alta Garfagnana, Lucca and Versilia, in particular Pietrasanta, Forte dei Marmi and Querceta) and the second is that deriving from  the province of Arezzo and in particular from Casentino and Valdarno  (Annex I).

To the Casentino - Valdarno  branch must also be added the branch of the Iacopi of Prato and Cagliari (Annex L) which, in the nineteenth century, had its residence in the mountain area of Vernio (FI) and which is presumably attributable, like all the families of Pistoia - Prato and Versilia, to the IACOPI of PISTOIA or LION NERO.

These two main branches can be traced back to all the other, indeed sparse, IACOPI families who live in and outside Tuscany, mainly in central-northern Italy (Prato, Poggibonsi, Cagliari, Rome, Assisi, Genoa, Modena, Mantua, Bologna, Turin, Milan, etc.) and abroad.

It is also highly probable that the two branches, precisely because of their precise and common location in Tuscany, must and can have a common matrix and that this descends from the IACOPI families, historically existed and documented in Florence and Pistoia.

At the first branch (Lucchesia - Garfagnana) they must be traced back

• in ENGLAND (derived from a BARTOLOMEO, who emigrated to the United Kingdom in the early 1800s)
• BRAZIL, ARGENTINA, FRANCE, USA and AUSTRALIA as an effect of emigration in the early mid-nineteenth century for the first three and the early 1900s for the last.

A curious detail is the fact that the CALIFORNIA IACOPIES derive from the late 1800s - early 1900s practically all from the same family stock, even if from two different locations, but close (not even 5 kilometers apart !!), of the Municipality of LUCCA: from MONTUOLO the descendants of FELICE Iacopi who are in Los Banos and Stockton, from GATTAIOLA all the other branches. But the even more interesting fact is that the IACOPIES/JACOPES of BRAZIL, (Jundaì and S. Paolo), derive from the same locality of MONTUOLO ! This means that the Californian and Brazilian IACOPI are part of a single family strain.

Finally, as far as he has drawn with the Iacopi of Brazil, those of S. BERNARDO do CAMPO of S. PAOLO (Jacopi), those of Jundiaì and S. PAOLO (Iacopi) are part of the same family, because they derive respectively from the brothers GIOVANNI and DOMENICO di SALVATORE IACOPI da MONTUOLO of Lucca  (fig. 47 and 47a),

both born in the first half of the 19th century. The spelling difference of the surname derives exclusively from an incorrect registry transcription.

Finally, as far as he has drawn with the branch of the IACOPI of ARGENTINA, at the moment there are not enough elements to define its exact origin, even if it is still certain that they derive from Lucchesia.

The French branch of the Iacopi derives from that of Pescia and Pistoia (Annex P1), while those of Turin and Genoa always descend from the Iacopi of Versilia, and , as regards the IACOPI of Versilia and Garfagnana, I have managed to identify four or five main branches that I have called, by tradition or geographical location, the Del FRATE (Annex I1), because the "friar" (Capuchin bishop, see below); the GASPARELLI (Annex I2), the BORI (Annex I4), those of VORNO and BADIA di CANTIGNANO (Annex I3) and those of GORFIGLIANO  (Annex I5)

• a ABELE JACOPI, from Pietrasanta, of the branch of the BORI, born in the second half of the 19th century, was a famous art deco sculptor and ceramist (fig. 47c);
• a MICHELANGELO IACOPI, of the branch of the FRATE, born in Seravezza in 1812 and a friar of the Order of Franciscan Minors (OFM), in 1841 he was sent to INDIA, to Sardhana and in 1868, appointed Bishop of Penthecomia, he became Apostolic Vicar of Agra and Pergamon. He died on 14 October 1891 in Agra and was buried in the local cathedral  (fig. 47b). Data taken from the Pontifical Yearbooks of 1872 (p. 360), 1880 and 1886 (pg. 310 and 444). He is probably the friar to whom the branch of the Iacopi di Seravezza refers, in Versilia called "Del Frate";
• a certain LORENZO di DOMENICO IACOPI and Armida LUISI, born in Seravezza (LU). Collaborator in Gino Lombardi's "Hunters of the Apuan Alps" partisan formation in the Stazzema area, Lorenzo Iacopi, at the time 2nd Chief R.T. (Radiotelegraphist) of the Regia Marina, had disembarked from an Allied submarine near Castiglioncello and with the help of the parish priest of Montenero and other anti-fascists had managed to organize a clandestine radio service. In Ruosina the continuous comings and goings in the Lombardi house had made the fascists suspicious, from the consequent action Gino Lombardi managed to escape daringly, while the radio telegraphist Lorenzo Jacopi was caught. Jacopi managed, in May 1944, to escape from the prison of Verona and return to Versilia. In 1947 he was awarded a Medal of Military Valour:

"A technical element of particular courage and intelligence, he provided for ensuring the clandestine connection between a military intelligence mission of occupied Italy and the liberated territory. Arrested by the enemy, after three months of imprisonment, serenely endured, he managed to escape, joining a band of patriots. He then crossed the lines and presented himself to an Allied command, providing very useful information. He voluntarily left for the occupied territory and, overcoming uncommon risks and difficulties, carried out the tasks entrusted to him in an exemplary way, providing valuable information and maintaining contact until the arrival of the liberating troops. Italian territory occupied by the enemy, November 1943 - April 1945. B.U. 1947, Disp. 5^, p. 323".

• a EUGENIO IACOPI from Seravezza (LU), infantryman serial number 3877, Silver Medal to the V.M. (Being part of a patrol, which clashed with the enemy at night, although wounded in several parts, he was among the first to leap with the bayonet, shouting "Savoia". Grabbed and dragged by an enemy, he managed to free himself, then returning with the rest of the patrol to our lines. Case Zanolli (Vallarsa), 10-11 September 1917. B.U. 1918, Disp. 52, p. 4336).

Moreover, recently, as a result of the opening, in 2001, of the family website on the internet, it has emerged that in NEW ZEALAND there is still a flourishing IACOPPI family, arrived there in 1900 and derived from a Iacopi family in ENGLAND, who emigrated there at the beginning of the 1800s and who, apart from the doubling of the letter P, the effect of a presumable error in the registry transcription, seems to come from the same family stock or in any case from the branch of the Iacopi or Iacoppi dei ROSSI. This family, which has another branch in the USA is certainly related to the very few IACOPPI families existing in Italy, was brought to the end of the 1800s, beginning of the 1900s, with ANTONIO di GIOVANNI, born in 1878 in Compiano in the upper Parma area, in London, where he died in 1931. From one of his sons, JOHN (see below), derives the New Zealand branch, represented by the family of BARRY IACOPPI. The Iacoppi branch of the USA also derives from the nineteenth century from the same area of the upper Parma area (BARBIGAREZZA). (Annex I7)). It should be added, for a better understanding of the migratory movements within the ancient nation states, that the Duchy of Modena of the Eastern Austrians, had an outlet to the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Duchy of Massa and Lunigiana were part of its possessions. This political and geographical situation has allowed, with greater ease, the transfer of branches of the Iacopi families from Versilia-Lunigiana in the Parma area.

Another branch of the IACOPI, derived from the area of PISA, now lives in the province of TURIN and its current representative is ETTORE di GINO IACOPI, an eclectic and multifaceted character, recently deceased, who had an extremely eventful and interesting life and on a part of which he wrote a successful book "It's just a wound" (fig. 48/1 - 48/2). He was part, together with his father GINO, grandfather ETTORE and aunts (BEATRICE, AIDA and AURELIA, married to Dario SILVESTRI) of a family of acrobats, the famous TACOPI Troupe, which worked all over the world, starting from 1879, both alone and also in the context of the famous Great Circus BARNUM. (fig. 48a - 48b - 48c - 48d - 48e - 48f - 48g). See also Alessandro Cervellati: "Questa sera grande spettacolo: storia del circo italiano voce Acrobati Italiani vol. 4°, Edizioni Avanti, 1961.  (Annex I7)

To the second branch (Iacopi del CASENTINO - VALDARNO), less numerous than the previous one, all the branches of the families can be substantially traced: IACOPI of CASTIGLION FIBOCCHI,   of AREZZO,  of RECCO,  of ASSISI,  of MODENA  and certainly a branch in the USA (deriving from that of CASTIGLION FIBOCCHI) and in all likelihood, even if not verified with documents, the branch of the IACOPI of PRATO and CAGLIARI  (Annex L). The branch of ASSISI, derived from that of Rassina and Castiglion Fibocchi, also gave rise to the current branch of the IACOPI of MODENA (see below).

Finally, the particular location of the two branches confirms and suggests the hypothesis already mentioned, that is, of the common root and origin of the families from the Pistoia-Florence area. In fact, we have seen previously that the IACOPI practiced the trade and that, due to the alternation of political events, they had to find escape several times by fleeing from Florence. Well, these two factors can contribute, together, to explain the current locations of the IACOPI branch.

In fact, LUCCA, until the Napoleonic era, represented the alter ego of Florence in Tuscany, both from a political and a commercial point of view. After repeated attempts at conquest by Florence, it had become, albeit with due caution, an ideal refuge for Medici dissidents. From a commercial point of view, Lucca was, so to speak, the "Switzerland" of the time and in this context it is likely that the IACOPI opened their commercial branches there and made shrewd and far-sighted investments. In essence, the choice of the IACOPI towards Lucca could have indifferently connotations, both political and commercial. To this end, it is appropriate to remember, as seen above, that there was in fact a Iacopi  family also in Lucca and this derived from the aforementioned JACOPO di Piero or Pietro IACOPI, Captain of the Citadel of Lucca at the beginning of the 1400s for Paolo Guinigi, who after the mid-1400s took the surname of CITTADELLA.

For the city of Arezzo, the problem can be explained above all by the political aspect, as the other commercial pole in the area was Perugia, outside the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Arezzo, the ancient center of the Tuscan Ghibellines until its complete submission to Florence, has always represented a safe refuge for the Florentines forced to abandon their city. Among other things, the presence of characters of the Iacopi family in Arezzo can be documented at least since 1470, when a ZACCARIA di GIOVANNI di ZACCARIA IACOPI di SANTA CROCE held the position of Camerlengo Generale (administrator of the municipal treasury, Annex M). The importance of this office shows that from that date a branch of the family probably moved to Arezzo or its territory and that therefore the Iacopi of Florence had solid and significant ties with that territory and that the Iacopi del Casentino are also for this reason connected to the Iacopi of SANTA CROCE of Florence. This hypothesis is also particularly supported by the fact that, in 1574, BERNARDO di LORENZO di BERNARDO IACOPI di SANTA CROCE del LION NERO died in Arezzo, where he was certainly there for important commercial reasons, as no connections with administrative positions on behalf of the Medici government had emerged. This event certifies that almost certainly the IACOPI had in Arezzo, permanently, family members and commercial agents and probably a branch of the family with which they relied during their travels.

However, it should not be underestimated that the Casentino, the center of the second branch of the family, at the time of the Medici regime was a border region with the Papal States and therefore its wooded mountains, towards La Verna, then certainly much less accessible than today, could represent an excellent refuge and why not, also an excellent base for conducting a lucrative border commercial activity (smuggling of salt and gunpowder), also amplified by the presence of the nearby and anomalous Republic of Cospaia.

It goes without saying that the discourse of smuggling, as well as that of political refugee, could also be transferred, in the same way, to the mountains of Garfagnana and Pistoia, at the time inaccessible areas with few roads!

To say at this point from which Florentine family the current IACOPI families could derive would be like carrying out, on the basis of the available data, a pure and useless intellectual exercise of a ... "divinatory". Certainly, it can be said that in the countryside of Arezzo, as early as 1600, there are documented Iacopi, attributable, in all likelihood, to the Florentine Iacopi. It is also known that the IACOPI de' Rossi disappeared from Florence at the end of the 1300s, while the other branches of the IACOPI (of SANTA CROCE, of SAN GIOVANNI) are registered in the City of Giglio, at least until the end of the 1600s.

A separate discussion, very special. GIUSEPPE IACOPI, born in Modena on 8 June 1773 (according to others 1779) (son of PIETRO Iacopi, originally from Brescello and BIANCHINA TORI Iacopi from Modena) and died in Modena on 21 October 1813, deserves to be discussed. For this branch, which I believe comes from the Versilia-Lunigiana area, I have not found any conclusive document. This Modenese doctor and holder of the Chair of Medicine at the University of Pavia, is buried in the right nave of the Cathedral of Modena, in 1813, at the height of the transept, at the end of the staircase that goes up to the main altar.

GIUSEPPE, a scientist of great renown, eclectic, ploliglot (Latin, French and English), at the age of ten was sent to study at the then famous Collesanzio boarding school in Correggio, where he was initiated into the study of philosophical disciplines and eloquence by Father Liberato Baccelli. After brilliantly finishing his studies at the Convitto di Correggio, Giuseppe, seventeen years old, then dedicated himself to the study of Medicine, under the guidance of the famous Professor Scarpa, at one of the most famous universities of the time, the illustrious Archiginnasio of Pavia. In this period the young man obtained such prodigious results in his studies, that in the final period of the course he would even have the coveted honor of replacing, while still a student, the same professor, during his absences, in the administration of the lessons. The fact is that Giuseppe graduated with honors at the age of 22, in 1801 and was immediately appointed Professor of Physiology and Comparative Anatomy, replacing Professor Presciani, who had recently passed away. These were the years during which the young professor expressed the maximum of his knowledge, helping to demolish a physiological doctrine of Darwin (with a Memoir dated 1804) and preparing between 1808 and 1809 a ponderous treatise in 3 volumes relating to Elements of Physiology and Comparative Notomy, printed in Milan in 1809 and quickly becoming the reference text of all the universities of the Kingdom of Italy. Iacopi's work, which will give him imperishable fame, represents a real novelty in the Italian scientific world, precisely because, as the author expresses it, "In then drafting the physiological reasoning that I make succeed to anatomical descriptions, I have always aimed that the doctrine appears in its true aspect. Not hypothetical theories, not conjectures very often the offspring of imagination, not language most of the time mysterious, I have adopted; but I have studied to expose the naked fact, so that it is clear

see how much man has come to know in the science of himself through study and intense and accurate observation, what Physiology is and how much still remains unknown to him".

In 1813 the young professor published in Milan a work entitled Prospectus of the School of Surgery of the Royal University of Pavia, a true treatise on Surgery in which he collected an account of all the diseases treated during the school year 1811.

12 (printed posthumously). In 1812 he also became Professor at the College of Correggio, during the same year he was appointed Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Bologna and in the following period he continued to hold lessons in Physics and Mathematics at the Convitto di Correggio.

Appointed Professor of Particular and Experimental Physics at the Royal University of Modena in 1813, Giuseppe left some important studies on electro-magnetic phenomena in this period and died prematurely in October 1813.

In his memory, his mother and sister VIOLANTE IACOPI ZERBINI had a plaque placed in the Cathedral of Modena, which can still be admired today at the height of the stairs leading to the right transept. By way of pure curiosity, it can be added that Giuseppe's mother, BIANCHINA TORI Iacopi, had a fleeting love affair with the poet Vittorio Alfieri, of which traces remain in their exchange of letters.

(Biographical elements taken from Giambattista Corniani and Stefano Ticozzi, The Centuries of Italian Literature, Milan, 1832, from the book by Serafino Mazzetti, Repertoire of all the Professors of the famous University and the famous Institute of Sciences of Bologna, of 1837, by the abbot Girolamo Tiraboschi, Biographical and literary news in continuation of the Modenese Library, of 1835, by Giuseppe Ramati, Elogio di Giuseppe Iacopi, Novara, 1813 and by Vita di Vittorio Alfieri scritto da esso, with notes by Emilio Bertana, ed. 1916).

VERY SCATTERED INFORMATION ON OTHER CHARACTERS OF THE IACOPI FAMILIES

(not necessarily referable to those of FLORENCE)

ARGENTINA:

The Argentine branch, which derives from the sons of ETTORE di PIETRO, coming from the province of LUCCA, is currently represented by the brothers CARLOS HECTOR, RUBEN RICARDO and GUILLERMO ALBERTO Iacopi, manager, the latter, of a chemical products company in Argentina (Proquimek), which occupies an important area in the town of Hurlingham, near Buenos Aires (Annex L1). Today this branch already knows the 3^ generation after ETTORE di PIETRO.(Fig. 49, 49a)

In Argentina, where many other Iacopi emigrated (Annex N), we also find the branch of FERNANDO di JOSE' YACOPI, renowned luthier and builder of classical guitars, grandson of GAMALIEL IACOPI, born in Lucca, who, during his long stay in Spain, saw the  initial I changed  to Y due to a personal error (in Spanish no word begins with the letter i). (Fig. 50 e 54a).

These skilled builders supplied guitars for star Eric CLAPTON for several years.

AUSTRALIA:

The Immigration Certificates of Marcella and Luigi Iacopi, (Annex O)

arrived respectively in Fremantle, Australia, in June 1951 and March 1952, testify to the origins of the emigrants: Marcella, born in Lucca on 31 December 1922, declared her occupation as a housewife and her desire to settle (at Pellegrino Giannasi, 267 B William Street, PERTH and subsequently the following residence: Boddington Street, RANFORD); Luigi came from Minucciano in Garfagnana, one of the areas of highest diffusion of the Iacopi. Not yet thirty years old, Luigi had no family yet and declared that he was settling in the town of Graylands. It is highly likely that he may be with a relative of his and that he has moved to Australia for work and accommodation, having the support of Mrs. Marcella.

Recent research has ascertained that in the South of the country, in EVANSTON PARK, just north of Adelaide, 8 View Cres, Evanston Park SA 5116, Australia there are actually, even today, IACOPES, which it is possible that may descend from the Luigi mentioned above. This research has highlighted at least two names, Peter and Adam IACOPI, (H. P.A and H. R.), who worked at Piramid Organic Produce in Lewinston (SA 5501, AUSTRALIA Tel. 08 85 243677 0885243706) all in the same city (Tel.+61885226672).

FRANCE:

The Iacopi residing in France derive from the emigration of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and are concentrated in the Department of Rhone and in particular in the localities of Lyon and Vaulx en Velin. In particular, the Iacopi of the Lyon area seem to come from the branch of the Iacopi of Pescia (PT) (see Annex P and Annex P1).

There are other smaller branches in the Ile de France and more precisely in the localities of Monfermeil and Villepinte in the department of Seine St. Denis, as well as in the city of Beziers in the Department of Herault, geographical region of Languedoc Roussillon and also in Pezenas (CA).

BRAZIL:

In BRAZIL there are two families IACOPI/JACOPI both from the area of Montuolo di Lucca and descended respectively from the brothers GIOVANNI and DOMENICO di SALVATORE IACOPI and Leonella GUIDI(fig 51). The existing spelling difference between the various branches of this family can be attributed to a "whim" (JACOPI instead of IACOPI) or more simply due to a personal error in the registrations in Brazil (JACOPE, JACOPPE, JACOPPI). In any case, they all derive from the same progenitors !! Attachments L2, L2A, L2B, L2C

summarize the various branches of the same family. All these Iacopi are now substantially concentrated in SAO PAOLO, SAO BERNARDO do CAMPO and JUNDIAI'.

In particular, the branch descending from SIMONE di DOMENICO di SALVATORE IACOPI da MONTUOLO is represented today by ATTILIO, FABIO and MARCO, the sons of Simone Attilio di Callisto Geraldo di Simone (Annex L2), living in JUNDIAI'  (fig. 52),

while a sister of Simone Attilio, ELENA (Helena) IACOPI, she is married to the Paulista journalist Ronaldo Gonçalvez Cortes and lives in S. Paulo in Brazil.

From SALVATORE DI GIOVANNI di SALVATORE IACOPI di Montuolo derive both the branch of the Jacopi of S. André and of Sao Paulo  (Annex L2A), represented today by the oncle RUBENS and nephew JULIO CESAR(fig. 53) and their respective sons, including: MARCELO di Rubens, and GUILLERME and JULIO CESAR Filho di Julio Cesar, and the other branches with the changed surname (JACOPE, JACOPPE, JACOPPI), who live in the JUNDAI’ area (Annexes L2B and L2C).

ENGLAND:

This branch, the result of the emigration of a BARTOLOMEO in 1830, coming from the Province of Lucca, has been permanently planted in the London area for over a century. ALAN Iacopi'  s sons, OLIVER and CHRISTOFER, formerly living in WEST SUSSEX south London, currently represent the future of the Iacopos of the United Kingdom (Annex L3).

A few years ago, these young people moved, following their father, to the Australian city of BRISBANE, where Ing. ALAN holds the position of Manager of the local Griffth University. There is also a renowned law firm (Solicitor) IACOPI PALMER and Eric  Iacopi living in Eriskay Scotland, 10 Baile, HS85JL, UK, on Spinnaker Road in Hempsted, in the suburbs of GJ25FD Gloucester; Tel 0178 - 720263, which follows the publications of the local parish.

A figure of considerable importance in the English Iacopi was VALETTA, a well-known musician and singer (Hill Ralph, The Penguin Music Magazine 1949, Penguin Books). Today, as pointed out, just above, the English branch of the IACOPI is represented by OLIVER BRUCE and CHRISTOPHER ALAN, sons of Dr. Ing. ALAN VICTOR (1960- ),

General Manager of Griffith University in BRISBANE in AUSTRALIA. Their current residence is, in fact, AUSTRALIA. (Annex L3A)

NEW ZELAND:

Recently, as a result of the opening of the site in 2001, it has emerged that in New Zealand there is still a flourishing IACOPI family, who emigrated there at the beginning of the 1900s, which, whose doubling of the "p", could be the effect of a possible error in the registry transcription, but also of a descent from the IACOPPI of the de' ROSSI consortium. This family, certainly descended from the same stock from the very few Iacoppi families in Italy, moved with Antonio di Giovanni, born in 1878 in Barbigarezza di Compiano in the Parma area, to London, where he died in 1918. From one of his sons John(fig. 54) derives, in fact, the branch that lives in London and from his grandson BARRY di ANTHONY (TONY), the one who lives in New Zealand. Today the latest generation of IACOPPI is represented by the children of ANTHONY di BARRY IACOPPI, who currently live in London with their grandfather TONY. The Anglo-Australian branch of the IACOPPI is to be traced back with kinship ties to the IACOPPI of Parma and the Piedmontese province of Verbania. (Annex L8)

USA:

In the USA we find the most consistent branch of the Californian IACOPI, which descend, at different times, from the numerous offspring of ANTONIO di MICHELE IACOPI and Zara SANI of GATTAIOLA and MONTUOLO (LU) (Annex L2). From MARINO by EUGENIO IACOPI and Angelina PERA (fig. 55) derive the current branches of Oakland, El Dorado and Petaluma (Annex L4). To this branch belong the engineer brothers JOHN and TONY IACOPI of Oakland, founders of the company RAZZOLINK, specialized in wireless transmission (wireless for remote security and control systems and for direct connections between ranches and the homes of their respective owners) (fig. 56 and 56a). From the brothers MICHELE and GUIDO di LAPO IACOPI derive, respectively, the branches of Half Moon Bay and El Granada, represented today by LOUIE or LUIGI and his sons MICHAEL, STEVE and PETER and by LESLIE di MARIO IACOPI (Annex L5) (fig. 57). MARIO, for a time, was the manager of Caesar's restaurant in San Francisco.

LOUIE o LUIGI, in particular (fig. 57a), runs a large and highly appreciated ranch/farm in Half Moon Bay in San Mateo County southwest of San Francisco, together with his son Michael , married to Deborah PIERZCHALA, of Polish ancestry, is a well-known seller of his typical products including the tasty "Fava Beans" (a sort of Roman-style broad beans,  snow peas and supplier to restaurants in the San Francisco area. His Farm regularly participates in the "Saturday Market" in San Francisco.

From ANTHONY EDWARD sr (alias BRUNO) of RODOLFO IACOPI descends the current branch of Tiburon, north of San Francisco. Rodolfo, in particular, was an efficient entrepreneur who founded R . Iacopi & Company of San Francisco, a wholesale meat store, which remained in business until a few years ago. (fig. 58, 58a, 58b)

Finally, the Stockton-Los Banos  branch derives from DANNY by FELICE (Annex L6). Of his sons: DANIEL (16055 Boulevard Ventura) is a respected psychiatrist in  the San Bernardino Valley in Encino near Los Angeles, while JOHN TIMOTHY, co-founder of the "IACOPI & LENZ Company" of Stockton in California, an established law and accounting firm that, in addition to offering many services to clients, is also a valued "sponsor" in numerous local events. (fig. 59)

Also in California we find (Annex L7) We also find Prof. Adrienne GUALCO JACOPI, art teacher and well-known painter of horses and racing and racetrack environments, who uses the techniques of acrylic or water colors  (fig. 60 and 60a). Finally, in the Californian area, prof. geologist Robert L. IACOPI, an earthquake specialist and a profound connoisseur of the San Andrea fault, on which he has published numerous works.

All these branches of the Californian Iacopi come as highlighted above from the Municipality of Lucca and more precisely from a single family that lived in the hamlets of Gattaiola and Montuolo, located 5 kilometers south of the capital in the direction of Pisa.  (see fig. 47).

The branch of Louie or Luigi IACOPI of Half Moon Bay, still owns the family's manor house between GATTAIOLA and MONTUOLO, which has been transformed into a holiday home and renamed Iacopi Farm  (fig. 60b, 60c and 60d).

In Hawai and more precisely on the island of Maui we find Mrs. Belle JACOPI who runs a holiday home in the charming town of Kaanapale.

Annexes H5, H6 and H7 show the distribution of the Iacopi, Jacopi or Yacopi families in the USA, while Annex N contains a list of the Iacopi families who landed in the USA and Argentina. 

For the sake of completeness, a branch of the IACOPI dell'Aretino has been living in the USA for some years now, represented by Lucio di Tullio IACOPI of Castiglion Fibocchi (AR), who practices the profession of airline pilot and lives in Mocksville, a town north of Charlotte in North Carolina. Married to Mrs. Karen, the couple has a son named LUCA. (fig. 60e)

THE IACOPI FAMILY OF ASSISI 

(CASENTINO BRANCH) 

As already mentioned above, the IACOPI families currently existing in Italy can be substantially traced back to two large branches (Lucchesia and Aretino), both originally from Tuscany and with a common Florentine matrix.

To the second branch, less numerous than the previous one, belong all the branches having the Valdarno and Casentino as their center of irradiation (Castiglion Fibocchi, Rassina, Poppi, Pieve Santo Stefano and Badia Tedalda), in the province of Arezzo. Recent research, conducted at the archiepiscopal archives of Arezzo and the Parish of Castiglion Fibocchi, has irrefutably demonstrated that the Castiglion Fibocchi Branch (Attachments Q, Q1, Q2, Q3) (10 generations found and certifiable through documents and descendant of GIOVANNI di GIUSEPPE di GIOVANNI of 1772) is the main strainof the branch of the Iacopi in the Province of Arezzo (Annex S and that this gave rise, at the beginning of the 1800s, to that of Rassina, (Annex S descending from GIUSEPPE di SANTI di GIOVANNI of 1783), from which all the flourishing and extinct branches of the IACOPI families of RECCO, AREZZO and ASSISI derive. Finally, this last branch also gave rise to the current branch of the IACOPI of MODENA.

Unfortunately, the ascertained lack and fragmentary documentation of the ecclesiastical archives of the Diocese of Arezzo, relating to the area of diffusion of the family in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries (largely lost due to meteorological events, political events and perhaps also due to negligence) does not authorize excessive hopes for a "scientific" solution to the dilemma of the origin of the Iacopi family of Casentino - Valdarno, compared to those of Florence. In fact, until today, unless further archival documents (notarial papers) are found - always possible - it has not been possible to document characters of the family beyond 1600. Moreover, the significant historical clues highlighted above and the substantial concentration in time and space of the branch of the Iacopi family in the Province of Arezzo alone, as well as the absolute absence in time and in the area of other families with the same surname, allow us to think that the connection of the Arezzo branch between the IACOPI of SANTA CROCE and therefore with the Iacopi of Florence may be very plausible.

Moreover, some elements preserved over time in the family: the oral memory of the past family tradition, a coat of arms dating back to about the mid-nineteenth century, and above all a single historical find, of great documentary value - which constitutes a kind of testimony transmitted over time between the generations of the family - had led to the hypothesis, albeit with many reservations, especially in the light of the research recently conducted in Arezzo, that this branch could also descend from the Iacopi de' Tornaquinci.

This historical find, which was handed down among the males of the family would seem to have been for about four generations, consists of a gold ring - sign, bearing in bas-relief and in negative a variant of the coat of arms of the IACOPI de' TORNAQUINCI. (fig. 61),in turn taken from an Iacopi coat of arms, still present in the house of CARLO (Carlone) of MICHELE IACOPI. There is no doubt today, on the basis of the research carried out here, that the reference does not appear plausible for all of the above.

In fact, this coat of arms, as can be deduced from the photo, differs from the basic one only for the fact that the field, instead of all gold, is truncated in gold and blue and this could be attributed to a variant used by a branch of the Iacopi de' Tornaquinci, differentiated over time from the main branch. This signet ring, currently in the possession of MASSIMO di Luigi Benso, is traditionally worn by the oldest male of the family. It would appear from the oral tradition of the family that this heirloom, whose origin is unknown, was in the past jealously guarded as proof and pride of a more fortunate past and as a stimulus for the younger generations. There is no certain information on its past use, except for the authentication of documents and statements made by its members, but, in any case, the research conducted to date leads to the conclusion that the creation of this object was rather an initiative of one of its members who, at the time, did not possess all the elements to go back to its historical past and on the basis of the information acquired,  had, at the state of the art of that time, erroneously concluded that the Iacopi de' Tornaquinci were the original stock of the family.

In any case, following the papers found in the archives, the first documentable character of the Casentino branch is a GIOVANNI who lived in the early 1700s in Castiglion Fibocchi. From his children GIUSEPPE (c. 1743 - 1790), who married Caterina di Bastiano NUTI e SANTI (c. 1746 - 1800) (Annex S, who married Giovanna di Giuseppe SALUCCI, derive respectively the current branches of Castiglion Fibocchi and that of Rassina(13). GIUSEPPE di SANTI (1783 - 1847), married Camilla BOLCHI and moved to his wife's village in Rassina in the Municipality of Castel Focognano, he had many children including GIOVANNI SANTI (b. 1812 - ), married to Camilla di Paolo TOMMASINI, progenitor of the Branch of Poppi and LUIGI (1814 - 1857), progenitor of the current branches of Assisi, Modena, Arezzo and Recco (GE). LUIGI di GIUSEPPE (aforesaid), residing in the hamlet of Rassina in the Municipality of Castel Focognano (AR) (fig. 61a) maried CATERINA di Michelangelo GIANNOTTI with whom he had 10 children: CARLO, MASSIMILIANO CARLO, FULVIO, CAROLINA, SERAFINO, DOMENICO AURELIO, GIUSEPPE, CESARE, MICHELE, and LUIGI, from which the following branches derive:

• from FULVIO di LUIGI was born GIOSUE', continuator of the branch of  (Annex T); 
• from CARLO di LUIGIwas born, in Assisi, PRIMO, progenitor of the Modena branch (Annex T1); 
• from SERAFINO di LUIGI came the branch of Recco (GE) (Annex T2); 
• from GIUSEPPE di LUIGI derives the Arezzo  (Annex T3); 
• from MICHELE di LUIGI springs the branch of Assisi (PG)  (AnnexesT4 and T5). 

The first IACOPI of whom there is a trace in Assisi is CARLO di LUIGI and his arrival is to be dated around the end of 1859 or the beginning of 1860. He is said to be "alive ab aliquo tempore in hac civitate Assisi" in the Book of the Dead (LM) of the Parish of the Cathedral Church of Assisi San Rufino. In fact, in the register relating to the years 1860 - 1920, on page 111, act no. 63, we read that on 6 December 1870 Susanna BALESTRINI, wife of CARLO IACOPI, died suddenly, at the age of 22 ("circiter"), with the generic notation of: "quondam Aloisii, Aretii" (of the late Luigi di Arezzo).

CARLO, presumably born in 1834, was then thirty-six years old and practiced the profession of barocciaio (carter and coachman) on his own, while his father LUIGI appears to have carried out, always on his own, the activity of mule driver and had several animals to be used for the transport of pack and people.

His arrival in Assisi is perhaps to be closely related to the construction of the Florence-Rome railway which in the original route passed via Perugia and Foligno and the choice of Assisi may have been determined by the fact that for a certain period the works of the railway were temporarily suspended, precisely in the section between Bastia Umbra and Perugia. After the tragic event, CARLO, who had now established his residence in Assisi, married again, between the end of 1871 and the beginning of 1872, and married PALMA di Aldebrando or Aldobrando PINCHI, born in Assisi on March 7, 1849 and died almost a hundred years old in 1944. From the book on the State of Souls (SA) of the Parish of San Rufino, relating to 1872, CARLO and Palma appear to live in rent in the second apartment of the building owned by the Confraternity of S. Chiara (Santa Chiarella), located in the current Via Borgo Aretino. The book tells us, in fact, that the couple lives in street 11^ (14) and that is the one that goes from Porta Nuova to Portella dei Pucci (now Arco di Santa Chiara) at number 3. The house in question must have been the one that is currently adjacent to the church of the Confraternity called Santa Chiarella (so called to distinguish it from that of Santa Chiara) and which is located near the Porta Nuova. The family status that can be found in the book almost certainly refers to the end of 1872 and shows us interesting news:

• CHARLES  Iacopi  years old  38    Head of household;
• PALMA       Pinchi  years old  23    wife;
• MICHELE   Iacopi   years old  21    brother;
• PRIMO       Iacopi   years old  ---    son.

In fact, we note that CARLO called his brother Michele with him to Assisi, who lived with him and on September 2, 1872 his only son PRIMO was born, baptized in San Rufino with the names of Primo, Francesco, Domenico (Year 1872, p. 168, n. 175).

PRIMO and his uncle MICHELE will be respectively the progenitors of the branches of the IACOPI of Modena and Assisi.

From the SA relating to 1873 we note that the family still lives in the same apartment where, however, MICHELE is no longer cohabiting (perhaps he returned to Rassina in that year).

CARLO died suddenly on 29 January 1876 (Register of the Dead p. 172, n. 9), leaving his wife of 27 years, his son of 3 years and his brother MICHELE of 25 years. The latter, who has now settled permanently in Assisi in his brother's house, will take over a part of CARLO's business and together with his widow will continue to manage the small transport company. In the years 1874 - 75 and 76 MICHELE was in fact cohabiting with his sister-in-law.

MICHELE di LUIGI Iacopi, born in Rassina (AR) on 22 October 1851, decided in 1876 to start a family and marry on 18 September of the same year, in the Church of San Rufino, ANNA di Domenico Fongo, born in Assisi on 5 October 1852 (marriage register p. 118). The new family, having solved the economic problems with CARLO's widow (both will continue to manage a transport business on their own) settles near CARLO's family and, more precisely, in the house of Alessandro ROSSI, at no. 5 of Via Borgo Aretino. This arrangement is, however, provisional as the SA of San Rufino relating to 1877 indicates that they live in rent at no. 3 of street 2^ (the current Via di Porta Perlici) in the house of Annamaria ROSIGNOLI, widow TURRIONI. It is difficult to establish the exact location of the house, but it should be one of the buildings in Via Porta Perlici, going up from San Rufino, immediately after the junction for Via Montecavallo at the height of the Timi and Ottaviani houses, or perhaps even before the stairs that go up to the Rocca). MICHELE and Anna were respectively 26 and 25 years old at that time. From the same SA we also note that Palma, CARLO's widow, and her son PRIMO (28 and 5 years old) still live in the house of the Confraternity of St. Clare. The SA book of 1879 gives us a update on MICHELE's Family Status under the heading: "MICHELE Iacopi's House, Road 2^, n. 3": 

• MICHELE Iacopi years old 28 Head of household;
• Anna         Fongo years old 27 wife;
• CARLO     Iacopi years old  2  son;
• MARIA      Iacopi years old --   daughter. 

First of all, we note that MICHELE's work activities are going well and that they have allowed him to take over the ownership of the house of the widow Turrioni (something that the SA register punctually highlights). The family was also cheered by the birth of CARLO FRANCESCO GIUSEPPE  (fig. 62 and 62a), born on 28 December 1877 and baptized in San Rufino (Register of Baptisms (RB) year 1877, page 333, n.208, godmother Letizia SAMMARCHI wife of Domenico LENZINI or SENSINIi, living in Assisi, Piaggia Santa Margherita) and MARIA Agnese Clara, born on 4 March 1879 (RB,  year 1879, p. 370, n. 34). Unfortunately, Mary died just two days later on March 6, 1879 (Register of the Dead - RM - page 220, no. 4). From the SA of the same year it appears that Palma PINCHI, widow of CARLO Iacopi and his son PRIMO no longer live in Borgo Aretino in the Parish of San Rufino. Since the SA of 1881 the family of MICHELE Iacopi still lives in Via Porta Perlici and his family status has the following variations: his daughter MARIA died, as we have already seen, and his son CESARE RUFINO LUIGI was born on 19 September 1880 (fig. 63). CESARE, who took the name of a brother of MICHELE, baptized in S. Rufino, godmother Maria di Domenico FONGO (RB year 1880, p. 417, n. 131). Since the SA of 1885 the family of MICHELE still lives in the same house: 

• MICHELE Iacopi years old 34 Head of household;
• ANNA       Fongo years old 33 wife;
• CARLO    Iacopi years old   8 son;
• CESARE  Iacopi years old   5 son. 

In addition to the children already mentioned, MICHELE Angiolo Fortunato had another daughter from his marriage named CATERINA, who died on January 27, 1882, after 9 days of life (RM, p. 256, n. 5). In 1886 MICHELE left his house in Via Perlici and went to live, for rent, in the house of the Cathedral Church of San Rufino, located in street 3^ at number 7. The SA relating to 1886 tells us that his house was "retained" by Giovanni PAGLIACCI. The road 3^ mentioned was the one that went "from the Mazzichi garden (probably the current ORFEI garden, at the beginning of Via del Turrione) to the garden of Mr. Vitale Bovi". Road 3^ could probably be identified with Via del Turrione or Via Montecavallo. As for the exact location of the house in question, it is not easy as today's numbers do not correspond exactly to those of the past and the number of existing houses was certainly lower than the current one. However, in the case of Via Montecavallo, it is not far wrong if we place the house at the beginning of the street, coming down from Piazza Matteotti (formerly Nuova), near the T-junction of the same road. The SA of 1888 confirms that MICHELE and family still live in this house with the same family status as in 1885. MICHELE, in 1893, at the age of 42, or perhaps a few years earlier, returned to live in the house he owned in Via Perlici, after perhaps the lease contract with Enrico di Geremia RAFFAELLI and his wife Maria di Luigi TORRETTI. The HS relating to 1893 gives us, in fact, the following status:

• - MICHELE Iacopi          years old 42 Head of household;
• - ANNA       Fongo          years old 41 wife;
• - CARLO   Iacopi           years old 15 son;
• - CESARE Iacopi           years old 12 son;
• - ENRICO BRICOCOLI years old 13 adopted child. 

As you can see, the family has increased by another son, Enrico BRICOCOLI, whom Michele certainly adopted after 1888 (the descendants of Enrico BRICOCOLI, who will then have their home in Assisi, in the last house in Via del Comune Vecchio, on the corner of Via Perlici, attached to the Due Portelle, live today in the Milanese area). We have no further news of SA until the end of the century. In fact, only starting from the SA relating to the years 1901, 1911 and 1923 do we have further information. On page no. 42 of this book we note the following for the year 1901: MICHELE's family has changed house again, selling the one they owned in Via Perlici and buying one in Via Montecavallo no. 12 (perhaps one of the current houses corresponding to house numbers 16, 18, or 20). The reason for the move is to be found in the need to have more space, as two out of three children have already married. Here is the family status:

• MICHELE   Iacopi        years old 50 Head of household;
• ANNA         Iacopi        years old 49 wife;
• CARLO       Iacopi        years old 24 son;
• GINA           Bernardini years old 22 Daughter-in-law;
• CESARE     Iacopi       years old 21 son;
• ENRICO      Bricocoli   years old 22 adopted child
• MARIANNA Speziali    years old 22 Daughter-in-law(wife of Enrico). 

From this new family status it can be seen, in fact, that the family has considerably increased and that Charles and Henry have married. Regarding the marriage of CARLO di MICHELE I have not been able to find any document, but since their first child was born in June 1902, it is legitimate to date the marriage to 1901 or at the latest to the end of 1900. The first son of CARLO, known for his "complexion" Carlone, and his wife Gina BERNARDINI (born on May 20, 1879 in Assisi) is MARIA GISELLA GIULIA, born on June 1, 1902 and baptized on the same day in San Rufino by Canon Don Pietro MECCOLI. Godparents Giuseppe BERNARDINI, brother of Gina and Angela PILLI (RB, year 1902 p. 624, n. 11). Also from the SA of 1901 we find Palma PINCHI, widow IACOPI,of which we had lost track since 1879. Now she lives, as a maid together with her sister Anna, in the house of Professor Leto ALESSANDRI (born February 7, 1837), located in Via Properzio n. 8. There is no more news of his son PRIMO di CARLO Iacopi, now an adult (29 years old). Certainly, after a period with his paternal grandparents in Rassina, he went to Northern Italy in search of fortune and at the beginning of the 900s he was already married in Turin. Most of his five children (FAUSTA, SECONDO, TERZO, QUARTO and QUINTO) were born in this city and from this location he moved permanently to Modena in the decade 1920-30. His mother Palma and his aunt Anna were 58 and 48 years old respectively in 1901. Palma died almost a hundred years old in 1944, after inheriting all her properties from Professor ALESSANDRI, who remained a bachelor.

Meanwhile, on 24 November 1904 CESARE di MICHELE had married in the Church of San Rufino, Stella di Domenico VENARUCCI, born in Assisi on 15 November 1885 (RM years 1860-1911, p. 32) and part of the mountain parish of Costa di Trex (Costa tre Case o Chiese). Let us now return to the children of CARLO di MICHELE. From the RB relating to the years 1886 - 1907 we read on p. 72 that Don Antonio PACCOI baptized, on June 12, 1905, in S. Rufino, JOLANDA Fernanda Costanza, born on the 9th of the same month. On 13 November 1913 the third and last child of CARLO and Gina or Igina Iacopi was born, namely ORLANDO SERAFINO LUIGI (fig. 64). Godparents at the baptism were his uncle CESARE and his wife Stella VENARUCCI (RB, year 1913, p. 253, n. 163). There is no doubt that as early as 1904, either CARLO or CESARE di MICHELE, more likely the latter, went to live on their own, especially after the birth of their first children. From the registers of the Parish of San Rufino we have no clue but perhaps this shows that both, in this period, were not part of the Parish. From unconfirmed data it seems that CESARE went to live with his family in the "Casone", outside Porta Perlici (fig. 64a and 64b), on the road to the Ponte Grande, near the stone quarry (pink flake) he owned. (fig. 64c) All this is very likely, as this house, built on the ruins of an old medieval fortress and located 200 meters from the circle of the city walls (fig. 64d and 64e), fell, together with the Church of S. Maria delle Grazie (now ruined and deconsecrated,  fig. 64f), under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Priory or Parish of Costa di Trex. From the memories of aunt SERAFINA di CESARE, who died in April 1983, it seems that grandfather CESARE, after the wedding, actually went to live at the "Casone", in the house of his wife's parents and that he remained there only for a short period. In fact, Aunt SERAFINA would not have been born in that house but in the second house that her "grandfather" CESARE had in Assisi. It can be deduced that at least since 1909, but certainly a few years earlier, the family of CESARE and Stella had moved into a rented house, located on Piazza Nuova (today Piazza Matteotti). (fig. 65) No trace of this house exists today, as it was demolished to make way for the construction of the current National Boarding School "Umberto 1°"  (fig. 65a and 65b). In any case, the house was located at the beginning of the road that, from the "Turrione" of the Piazza Nuova, led directly to the Portella di S. Antonio, known as the Capuchin Door (in fact it was adjacent to the area of the Convent of S. Antonio dei Cappuccini) and was the second going up on the right. As far as the activity carried out by the families is concerned, we can say that both CARLO, and CESARE followed the family tradition in the field of transport and, in particular, in the field of transport of materials. It must also be said that, with CESARE, there was a definitive consolidation and a certain wealth of the family which, continuing to operate in the field of transport, allowed them to acquire a large house of their own, a stone quarry, and several lands. During the '30s, CESARE was certainly one of the first to own a truck in Assisi and his sons were among the few Umbrians to have, at a very young age, a driving license. The company, after the Second World War, diversified with his two sons FULVIO and LUIGI BENSO(fig. 66 e 66a),the first owner of a material transport company and the second, owner of a passenger transport company, with taxis and buses, still in business..

We now come to the children of CESARE and STELLA Iacopi. On 1 September 1905 FULVIO ANTONIO FRANCESCO was born, godmother of the baptism was Elisa di Giuseppe COSIMETTI, wife of Luigi ANTONINI (RB p. 761, n. 157), but unfortunately he died the next day (RM years 1880 - 1920, p. 500, n. 11). On 26 November 1906 FIDALMA Adriana Maria was born, baptized on the following 8 December by Canon Don Pietro MECCOLI, godparents Giuseppe di Pasquale PAPARELLI and Maria di Luigi DRAOLI in VENARUCCI (RB p. 520, n. 4). On November 11, 1907, FULVIO SERAFINO MARTINO was born, baptized on the following December 12, godmother grandmother Anna FONGO (RB, page 867, no. 203). On 11 August 1909 SERAFINA Chiara Fidalma was born, baptized by Canon Don Luigi CARLOFORTI on 19 September, godparents Enrico BELLINI di Giovanni and Palma PINCHI, widow of CARLO di LUIGI Iacopi (RB, p. 88, n. 147). On 20 April 1911 FULVIA Anna Maria was born, baptized on 25 May by Canon Don Luigi MECCOLI, godparents Rufino and Ersilia VENARUCCI di Domenico, father of the woman who had recently given birth (RB, page 171, no. 97). Unfortunately, this daughter also died soon, that is, on August 1, 1915.

On August 3, 1915, two days after FULVIA's death, LUIGI "BENSO" CAIO EMIDIO  was born  (fig. 67). He was registered in the Municipality under the date of August 5 with his name of BENSO, while he was baptized by Canon Don Luigi CARLOFORTI on September 5 with the name of LUIGI alone (a rare case to say the least if not unique !! The fact of this "confusion" must certainly be related to the death of the child which occurred just two days before the birth of LUIGI BENSO). Godfather Enrico VENARUCCI, his mother's brother in the Parish of Santa Maria Maggiore (RB, p. 34. n. 135). On 26 January 1919 the last child of CESARE and Stella was born, namely ANNA Teresa Maria, baptized on 22 February by Canon Don Luigi MECCOLI, godmother Camilla di Alessandro TURRIONI, wife of Cesare MARTINI (RB, p. 390, n. 14). The name given to the newborn recalls the grandmother who passed away a few years earlier. On November 13, 1909, Anna FONGO in IACOPI, wife of MICHELE, died at the age of 58 (RM, p. 522, no. 27). In the register the name of the husband is erroneously transcribed as MICHELE "CARLONI", instead of IACOPI !. This may have occurred due to the fact that his son CARLO was called "Carlone" and that, because of his stature and complexion, the entire family was generically designated. On 4 January 1911 MICHELE IACOPI, Anna's widower, remarried (at the age of 59) Maria CANONICHETTI widow PIERLUCA, born in Assisi on 12 July 1857 (RM, year 1911, page 80). The SA book for 1911 tells us that the new couple, having left and probably sold the previous house in Via Montecavallo n. 12, now lives in the same street at number 8. The house was the current one at no. 7, that is, on the corner, after the barber's house, where Via Montecavallo forks in the shape of a T. There is no documentation of the children's homes relating to this year. The date of 1911 tells us, however, that even then CARLO, with certainty, no longer lived in the house in Via Montecavallo 12. On July 27, 1919, MICHELE di LUIGI IACOPI, known as the "Tuscan", died at the age of about 68. He was a man of enormous build and stature and who possessed uncommon strength. It is said of him that once, while crossing the Tescio with the cart full of material, he got bogged down there. Seeing his horse's efforts in vain, he managed to pull it out anyway, lifting the bogged wheel with his shoulder. He was a jovial, generous, talkative and sometimes impulsive person. Aunt SERAFINA always remembered him cheerful, with a cigar in his mouth, sitting in the evening "chatting" in front of the door of the house with the neighbors, not far from his nephews' house. The death seems to be attributable to a heart attack or paralysis (RM 1860 - 1920, p. 625, n. 22). The book of the SA of the Parish of S. Rufino relating to the year 1923 sheds light, on pages 202 and 203, respectively on the homes of MICHELE's children:

"House of CARLO by MICHELE IACOPI: in via dell'Anfiteatro n. 2" (fig. 67a) 

• CARLO       Iacopi        years old 45 Head of household;
• GINA           Bernardini years old 44 wife;
• MARIA        Iacopi        years old 21 daughter;
• JOLANDA  Iacopi        years old 18 daughter;
• ORLANDO Iacopi        years old 10 son. 

CARLO's house is the current house of ORLANDO Iacopi with the only difference that the current entrance, instead of on the Via dell'Anfiteatro, overlooks Piazza Matteotti (Nuova). The house was owned.

"House of CESARE by MICHELE IACOPI : in Via del Comune Vecchio 6" 

• CESARE           Iacopi       years old 43 Head of household;
• STELLA            Venarucci  years old 38 wife;
• FULVIO            Iacopi        years old 16 son;
• SERAFINA      Iacopi        years old 14 daughter;
• LUIGI BENSO Iacopi        years old   8 son;
• ANNA              Iacopi        years old   4 daughter. 

CESARE's house is the current one of LUIGI BENSO's family, to which the new land registry has assigned the house number 4/c  (fig. 68 and 68a). This house is located on the ancient road 4^, which went from "Piazza Nuova to the Due Portelle (the ancient Porta Perlici today identifiable with the two arches on Via Porta Portici in front of the Hotel La Rocca)" and which today it is called Via del Comune Vecchio. The house previously, in 1901, was inhabited by a certain BONIFAZI and in 1911 by a certain VALECCHI. CESARE Iacopi bought it in an unspecified year between 1911 and 1918. Grandfather CESARE carried out many works in the house: he transformed the farmhouse destroyed by the earthquake of 1848, which results from photographs of the end of the late 1800s (fig. 68b) into the current garage (which at the time housed carriages and carts) and terrace and provided for the fencing of the courtyard of the property with an iron gate that was made by the blacksmith BERLENGA (who had his forge at the end of Via del Comune Vecchio,  on Via Perlici).

With regard to the activity carried out, it should be remembered that grandfather CESARE had a stable on the ground floor of the house, where the animals (horses and mules) used for transport were sheltered and which in the period of greatest work reached 7 units.

It should be emphasized that with CESARE there was a definitive consolidation of the family, which continued to operate in the field of transport and in the sector of the Pink Stone Quarry for construction of Subasio, which was located on the right, just beyond the so-called Casone (fig. 68c) on the road to the Ponte Grande. During the '30s he was certainly one of the first in Assisi to own a truck and his children were among the few Umbrians to have, at a very young age, a driving license. After the Second World War, the company diversified with his two sons FULVIO and LUIGI BENSO, the former owner of a company transporting materials with trucks and the latter, owner of a company transporting people with taxis and buses (fig. 68d), which is still active. In particular, FULVIO's material transport activity was interrupted with his untimely death in 1953, merging into that of the SENSI family (his wife's family). FULVIO had three children with his wife, Giuseppa SENSI: STELLA, married to Carlo LAUDENZI of Assisi, owner of the Hotel  PRIORI in full center city; GIANNA, teacher recently deceased, married to Mario GAMBARDELLA, with three daughters FULVIA, analyst at the Maggiore Hospital in BOLOGNA, MONICA, police officer; STEFANIA, a graduate in Fine Arts while her son LOUIS he embarked on a career as an official at the Umbria Region. LOUIS, who recently passed away, had two children with Loredana BRAMINI, FULVIO (1980) and SIMONE (1983), while FULVIO, married to Maria Giovanna PISCOPO became the father, in 2021, of the last scion of our family, CARLO.  

LUIGI BENSO, on the other hand, who died in February 1997, after a short period of work in partnership with his brother, started working on his own, with an old taxi in 1949 and in 1955 he acquired the company's first bus with partners (fig. 69). During his long activity, he has been particularly meritorious in the field of mobility in the Assisi area, being the first to activate the connections of the capital with the mountain hamlet of Armenzano and with the hamlets of Scrub, The Fortress, St. Gregory, Pianello, St. Fortunatus and Parish Church of St. Nicholas of Assisi (fig. 70).LUIGI BENSO is also responsible for the establishment of the first connection between the capital of BASTIA UMBRA and the hamlets of Costa and Ospedalicchio. By LUIGI BENSO  (fig. 71), married in January 1944 to Assunta BAZZOFFIA (a family from Assisi of distant Lombard origins)  (fig. 71b), had three children: MASSIMO, born in 1944, followed military life, reaching the rank of Artillery Division General in 2002 and the position (1998) of Inspector and Commander of the Italian Anti-Aircraft Doctrine and Training School in SABAUDIA. (fig. 72); CLAUDIO (1947), who continued his father's activity, also setting up a travel agency in the nineties and ANNA MARIA (1962), graduated in music and piano at the Conservatory of Music in Perugia.

Ultimately, as already pointed out above, the surname IACOPI is a very rare surname and has an extremely limited diffusion in Italy, even if substantially concentrated in a single region. All the IACOPI families existing in Italy and also those that exist today in ENGLAND, FRANCE, BRAZIL, ARGENTINA, USA and AUSTRALIA are all attributable to a few precise Italian geographical areas, previously indicated and precisely Lucca (Garfagnana - Versilia), Prato, Pistoia and Arezzo (Casentino in particular).

It is likely, even if we do not have sufficient and persuasive objective elements of confirmation, that all the families may derive from the common matrix of FLORENCE and, more precisely, from the IACOPI of PISTOIA and FLORENCE and in particular from the IACOPI of SANTA CROCE, a branch present and numerous in the City of Giglio until the second half of the 1600s.

Certainly the Iacopi di Santa Croce were ascribed to the Florentine noble class with the initial dignity of Miles and then of Nobile (with the appellation of Dominus). The Iacopi di Santa Croce were also ascribed to the nobility of Pistoia, while the Iacopi de' Tornaquinci derived, in turn, from another family, the TORNAQUINCI, certainly Barons or Grandees of Florence and belonging to the Magnate Class, as they were of feudal origin and moved to Florence from the countryside. Annex U is a series of articles by General Iacopi, which allow an in-depth study of the historical, political and economic aspects of the city of Florence.