Chiusano di San Domenico
Encyclopedia
Chiusano di San Domenico is a town and comune
in the province of Avellino
, Campania
, southern Italy
. Situated at 750 meters above sea level, Chiusano is located on the western slope of Mount Tuoro. In recent years Chiusano has experienced stagnant population growth with its 2009 population of 2,428 residents below its 1991 population of 2,539.
History
Residence in Chiusano can be traced to the times of Ancient Rome
based on the discovery of coins, pottery, and tombs. During the 11th Century the Lombards
ruled the area and life in Chiusano centered on a castle that was constructed on nearby Mount Dominic.
Family Surnames and American Immigration
The five most popular surnames in Chiusano are Cataldo
, Picardi, Dello Russo, Rizzo
, and Muollo. A number of Italian-American families can trace their ancestry to Southern Italy due to the relatively high rates of poverty and limited economic opportunities available in that region compared to the more affluent Northern Italy
. Consequently, several Italian-American families immigrated from Chiusano in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Immigration from Chiusano appears to be particularly acute to Boston
, Massachusetts
and its North End neighborhood. In fact, residents of Boston erected a monument in Chiusano celebrating the contributions of Chiusano residents during World War II
. This monument features representatives of the Cataldo, Dello Russo, and Celata families.
Religious Monuments
Chiusano is home to multiple buildings of religious, historical, and architectural significance including The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (1710), The Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament of the Rosary (1712), and The Hermitage of Santa Maria Valley (1230).
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the province of Avellino
Province of Avellino
The Province of Avellino is a province in the Campania region of Italy. The area is typified by many small towns and villages scattered across the province; in fact only two towns have a population over 20,000; its capital city Avellino and Ariano Irpino....
, Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
, southern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Situated at 750 meters above sea level, Chiusano is located on the western slope of Mount Tuoro. In recent years Chiusano has experienced stagnant population growth with its 2009 population of 2,428 residents below its 1991 population of 2,539.
History
Residence in Chiusano can be traced to the times of Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
based on the discovery of coins, pottery, and tombs. During the 11th Century the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
ruled the area and life in Chiusano centered on a castle that was constructed on nearby Mount Dominic.
Family Surnames and American Immigration
The five most popular surnames in Chiusano are Cataldo
Cataldo
Cataldo can refer to:People with Cataldo as first name*Catald, saint*Cataldo Salerno, Italian politician*Cataldo Cozza, Italian-German footballer*Cataldo Amodei, Sicilian Baroque musicianPeople with Cataldo as last name...
, Picardi, Dello Russo, Rizzo
Rizzo
Rizzo may refer to:* Rizzo , an indie pop band from Los Angeles* Rizzo * Rizzo the Rat, a Muppet character* Betty Rizzo, a fictional character in the musical Grease and the film adaptation...
, and Muollo. A number of Italian-American families can trace their ancestry to Southern Italy due to the relatively high rates of poverty and limited economic opportunities available in that region compared to the more affluent Northern Italy
Northern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
. Consequently, several Italian-American families immigrated from Chiusano in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Immigration from Chiusano appears to be particularly acute to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and its North End neighborhood. In fact, residents of Boston erected a monument in Chiusano celebrating the contributions of Chiusano residents during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. This monument features representatives of the Cataldo, Dello Russo, and Celata families.
Religious Monuments
Chiusano is home to multiple buildings of religious, historical, and architectural significance including The Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (1710), The Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament of the Rosary (1712), and The Hermitage of Santa Maria Valley (1230).