Sclafani

= Coat of Arms =

The Sclafani coat of arms bears two cranes inversely colored of each other in argent (silver) to signify Peace, and sable (black) to signify jewels, specifically the diamond. An eagle crowned in or (gold) signifying the family's noble heritage rests atop a knight's helmet.

History

The surname "Sclafani" is derived from the Greek "Aesculapii fanum," meaning "Sacred to the god Aesculapius," the Greek god of medicine. This implies the fact that the Sclafani family since its origins has been gifted in the field of medicine, and is verified by the presence of ancient thermal healing baths that still stand today in a city founded by the family, Sclafani Bagni. The Greek version of the surname Sclafani, "Sclavounos", can be located in the "Dictionnaire Historique et Généalogique des Grandes Familles de Grèce", a book which contains information about Greek nobility. The exact surname "Sclafani" can be found in the "Dizionario Storico Blasonico", an armorial of noble Italian family lineages. It states that the family originated in or around the region of Lombardy, which borders present day Switzerland, and ancient Gaul (mostly modern France). There had been numerous Lombard, or Longobard mercenaries and petty nobles in southern Italy since at least the early 11th century, and Roger d'Hauteville brought many with his Norman contingent on his invasion of Sicily and subsequent conquest of the island from the muslims. Sicily had been ruled by Saracen Emirs since 969. The Sclafani family was moved to Palermo, Sicily under direction of Giovanni Sclifano, ally of the Norman ruler William I of Sicily. This may have been part of the on-going royal policy of centralization of power in the hands of the monarch throuout southern Italy and Sicily begun by William's father, Roger II. In Sicily, Giovanni Sclifano was given the Castle Megerio by the king to show his gratitude for having Giovanni's support in the conspiracy of Matthew Bonello. A son of Giovanni, Goffredo Sclifano, founded a monastery in Lentini around the year 1185. Another Sclafani of historical importance is Matteo Sclafani, count of Adernò in 1303, who became Count and Lord of Sclafani in 1330. Aside from being involved with the Knights Templar, he built many palaces and cathedrals throughout Italy including a magnificent royal palace in Palermo, the monastery of Santa Chiara, the church of Sant'Agostino, and of S. Niccolò dell'Albergaria. He died in the year 1354.

Cities

There are currently two (2) Italian cities bearing the name "Sclafani" and displaying the family coat of arms on the city gates.
Sclafani Bagni
Official Site [http://www.comune.sclafani-bagni.pa.it/]
History [http://www.regione.sicilia.it/turismo/web_turismo/sicilia/uk/localita/storia.asp?id=482] [http://www.sicilia.indettaglio.it/eng/comuni/pa/sclafanibagni/sclafanibagni.html]
Height: 811 meters
Area: 135,06 sq. km.
Economy: agricultural economy, thermal station.
Population: 506
Population name: Sclafanesi
ZIP code: 90020
Telephone prefix: 0921
Accommodation: [http://www.regione.sicilia.it/turismo/web_turismo/sicilia/uk/ricettivita/result_htl.asp?sel_comune=Sclafani%20Bagni]
CITY HALL
Address: Via Umberto I, 3
Phone: +39 (Italy) 0921541097
Fax: +39 (Italy) 0921540337

Chiusa Sclafani
Official Site [http://www.comune.chiusasclafani.pa.it/]
History [http://www.regione.sicilia.it/turismo/web_turismo/sicilia/uk/localita/storia.asp?id=214] [http://www.sicilia.indettaglio.it/eng/comuni/pa/chiusasclafani/chiusasclafani.html]
Height: 614 meters
Area: 58 sq. km.
Economy: agriculture, stock-breeding, timber industries.
Population: 3.302
Population name: Chiusino
ZIP code: 90033
Telephone prefix: 091
CITY HALL
Address: Piazza Castello
Phone: +39 (Italy) 0918353538
Fax: +39 (Italy) 0918353494

Related

- [http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matteo_Sclafani]
-Palazzo Sclafani
-Palermo, Sicily
-Italian Normans
-Robert Guiscard (son of Tancred of Hauteville..)
-Moncada (Family) [http://homepage.ntlworld.com/cilialacorte/ahnentfl.htm] (Lists Matteo Moncada and Giovanni Moncada both as counts of Sclafani, could be a reference to Matteo Sclafani and Giovanni Sclafani. 15th–17th centuries, a powerful family from Paternò, Sicily)
-Distribution of Sclafani Families in the US in 1920 [http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/fact.aspx?fid=7&ln=Sclafani&fn=]
-Distribution of Sclafani Families in France [http://www.notrefamille.fr/v2/services-nom-de-famille/nom.asp]
-Anna Sclafani - the 7th Sister and the Pleides (forum) [http://genforum.genealogy.com/sclafani/messages/17.html]