The typical surnames of Piedicavallo, Montesinaro and Alta Valle Cervo (but also the entire Biella area) are often double, such as Jon Scotta, Rosazza Minghet or Valz Gris. This characteristic is in no way related to the tradition of double surnames present in Hispanic countries: in Valle Cervo the double surname is not inherited partly from the father and partly from the mother.
In mountain villages, very large families were common and the second surname was an addition due to the need to distinguish the different branches of a family that had now become too large.
So the Valz “family” includes among its branches the Gris, the Cominet, the Gen, the Blin, the Polentin, the Brenta and many others. Likewise the Rosazza (Giangros, Prin, Totagrande, etc), Peraldo (Eusebias, Eusebiot, Prun, Dan, Pejo, Neia, etc), Ramella (Livrin, Paia, Pralungo, Votta, Cravaro, Trotta, etc) families.
At the bottom of this page you will find a summary list of the double surnames of the Alta Valle Cervo.
The pronunciation of double surnames of the Valley
The correct pronunciation of the truncated second surnames of the Valley always places the emphasis – where possible – on the last vowel.
| Correct pronunciation | Incorrect pronunciation |
| Cominèt | Còminet |
| Dranzòn | Drànzon |
| Morèl | Mòrel |
| Sièz | Sìez |
and so on…
The Letter J in the Surnames of Valle Cervo
Another curiosity concerns the letter J.
Some valley surnames have this letter within the surname, but its pronunciation is always the same as that of the vowel i.
Surnames such as Janutolo and Jon, for example, even find a double transcription in Ianutolo and Ion.
Double Surnames of Valle Cervo
Typical Surnames of Piedicavallo
Francesa
- Gavet
- Gob
- Gras
- Gros
- Morel
Giavina
- Cospettin
- Pier
- Vola
Janutolo / Ianutolo
- Bassan
- Berlet
- Cristian
- Demonne / Dmone
- Gallina
- Giangrant
- Gianot
- Gros
- Jachetta
Jon / Jono / Ion
- Angelina
- Balla
- Bel
- Bernardon
- Gianjule
- Julon
- Poeta
- Scotta
- Tonel
Martiner
- Bot
- Giore
- Testa
Peraldo
- Ciec
- Ciocca
- Dan
- Eusebias
- Eusebiot
- Giaret
- Guglielmin
- Ichet
- Jachetta
- Malastra
- Matton
- Morbe
- Neia
- Prun
- Vercellot
Zorio
- Iane
- Janett
- Martinet
- Maulen
- Merv
- Moro
- Prachin
- Tomà
Typical Surnames of Montesinaro
Boggero
- Annagrande
- Gianet
- Mattoja
- Pret
- Prin
Bullio
- Dranzon
- Giampiccio
- Soldato
Borghese
- Rat
Gilardi
- Biandrina
- Magnan
- Nadin
Prario
- Armit
- Bazan
- Bazan Gioanon
- Bot
- Brusc
- Perolin
Valz / Valzo
- Blin
- Brenta
- Comin
- Cominetto / Cominet
- Ciocca
- Gen
- Gianna
- Gianinet
- Gris
- Mattè
- Naddo
- Roggia
- Zanne
Typical Surnames of Upper Valle Cervo
Allara
- Bronz
- Carlin
- Frola
- Gamba
- Roan
- Perla
Boffa
- Bignoli
- Comina
- Fasset
- Gambon
- Lino
- Molinar
- Pedrò
- Rosar
- Tarlatta
- Tomaghet
Boggio
- Bertinet
- Carlon
- Carona
- Casero
- Chiesa
- Gilot
- Marzet
- Merlo
- Rantanet
Jacazio / Jacassio
- Chiavaro
Mosca
- Belrosa
- Bianco
- Carlotin
- Chiarin
- Ciarin
- Ciocca
- Cirvella
- Duga
- Feraret
- Finadda
- Jachetta
- Lorenzetto
- Minudro
- Moro
- Palin
- Pedrò
- Riatel
- Salin
- Siez
- Toba
- Vian
- Zonca
Norza
- Battistet
- Fabian
- Maru
- Rana
- Ratin
- Sior
- Zonca
Rosazza
- Balla
- Bardassa
- Battore
- Bertina
- Buro
- Cilin
- Eusebino
- Gianin
- Giangros / Jeangros
- Giola
- Grolla
- Manuele
- Merlero
- Mina
- Minghetti
- Pela
- Pianella
- Pistolet
- Prin
- Ros
- Traves
- Vercellino
- Volpin
- Zanfin
Vanni / Vano
- Beda
- Fioret
- Giorset
- Luchino
- Portiglia
- Princet
