TRANI Origin of surname
TRANI, METRANI, DITRANI, DI TRANI
Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name is a toponymic (derived from a geographic name of a town, city, region or country). Surnames that are based on place names do not always testify to direct origin from that place, but may indicate an indirect relation between the name-bearer or his ancestors and the place, such as birth place, temporary residence, trade, or family-relatives.
Trani is a city in Apulia, southern Italy, where Jews lived since at least the mid 12th century. The Jewish names in this group probably derive from this city. The form Metrani is a combination of the name of the city and the Hebrew "Me-", meaning "from". Likewise, Di Trani/Ditrani are combinations of the town and the Italian "Di-" ("from"). Di Trani is a well-known variant borne by a famous Italian family of Jewish scholars, founded by Isiah Ben Mali Di Trani (1180-1250). A distinguished bearer of the name Trani was the Safed-born chief rabbi of Turkey Joseph Ben Moses Trani (1568-1639).
Surnames derive from one of many different origins. Sometimes there may be more than one explanation for the same name. This family name is a toponymic (derived from a geographic name of a town, city, region or country). Surnames that are based on place names do not always testify to direct origin from that place, but may indicate an indirect relation between the name-bearer or his ancestors and the place, such as birth place, temporary residence, trade, or family-relatives.
Trani is a city in Apulia, southern Italy, where Jews lived since at least the mid 12th century. The Jewish names in this group probably derive from this city. The form Metrani is a combination of the name of the city and the Hebrew "Me-", meaning "from". Likewise, Di Trani/Ditrani are combinations of the town and the Italian "Di-" ("from"). Di Trani is a well-known variant borne by a famous Italian family of Jewish scholars, founded by Isiah Ben Mali Di Trani (1180-1250). A distinguished bearer of the name Trani was the Safed-born chief rabbi of Turkey Joseph Ben Moses Trani (1568-1639).