Over the past year, work has been undertaken on a surname-mapping project focused on the Domenici families of Bagni di Lucca.
The project has been documented in a three-part blog series, in which the methodology and early findings are outlined. These posts trace the development of the study, from an initial research question to the emergence of wider family networks across multiple villages.
To date, more than 320 events have been identified in civil records, resulting in approximately 250 new individuals being added to the database. The majority of these entries are connected to the villages of Limano and Benabbio, both of which are proving central to understanding the distribution of the Domenici surname in the area.
In addition to the Domenici, a number of associated surnames have been identified through marriages, witnesses, and extended family connections.
From Limano, these include:
Bacci, Licci, Morandi, Tarlattini, Zonzi, Magi, Storti, Nerici, and Angeli.
From Benabbio, the following surnames appear:
Michelini, Giusti, Cianelli, Franceschi, Marchi, and Giuliani.
The individuals identified so far span a broad chronological range, with births (estimated or recorded) dating from 1734 to 1910. As is common in projects of this scale, some individuals currently have limited information and may represent duplicate entries. These have been retained as separate individuals pending further confirmation.
Although the original research question—the precise origins of Maria Domenici—has not yet been resolved, a clearer picture of the surname’s distribution is beginning to emerge. The Domenici appear to have strong roots in Limano and Benabbio, with connections extending into surrounding villages, including San Cassiano.
The project remains ongoing. Future work will focus on refining these connections, consulting additional archival material, and exploring further methods—including DNA analysis—to help address remaining uncertainties. Further details on the approach and findings can be found in the three-part blog series, where the surname-mapping process is described step by step. One blog post is already out, and can be found here, the others are scheduled for April and May.
In the next blog post, a practical step-by-step guide will be introduced for those wishing to map a surname within their own area.
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