Gauci
Encyclopedia
Gauci is a surname
found mainly in Malta
. According to the Dictionary of American Family Names, it originated in Italy
, flourished in Malta
and from Malta spread to the UK, US, Canada and Australia together with the Maltese diaspora; this would be due to the immigration (and also exile) of large numbers of people from Italy to Malta, although the name still appears in Italy. However according to Professor Joseph Aquilina
, Malta's foremost specialist in Maltese etymology and author of the encyclopaedic Maltese–English Dictionary, the surname is a Maltese original formation, originating in the medieval notarial transcription of the word "Għawdxi", meaning Gozitan or from the island of Gozo
. As such, "Għawdxi" is a nickname frequently given to Gozitans living or working in Malta. This origin would classify Italian holders of the surname as descendants of Maltese immigrants, rather than vice versa.
Approximately 0.0001% of the US population has this surname.
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
found mainly in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. According to the Dictionary of American Family Names, it originated in 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...
, flourished in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
and from Malta spread to the UK, US, Canada and Australia together with the Maltese diaspora; this would be due to the immigration (and also exile) of large numbers of people from Italy to Malta, although the name still appears in Italy. However according to Professor Joseph Aquilina
Joseph Aquilina
Joseph Aquilina, LL.D., Ph.D. was a Maltese author and linguist born in Munxar.Aquilina graduated first as Bachelor of Arts and later as a lawyer from the University of Malta. Between 1937 and 1940 he read Comparative Semitic Philology at the University of London where he obtained a doctorate...
, Malta's foremost specialist in Maltese etymology and author of the encyclopaedic Maltese–English Dictionary, the surname is a Maltese original formation, originating in the medieval notarial transcription of the word "Għawdxi", meaning Gozitan or from the island of Gozo
Gozo
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
. As such, "Għawdxi" is a nickname frequently given to Gozitans living or working in Malta. This origin would classify Italian holders of the surname as descendants of Maltese immigrants, rather than vice versa.
Approximately 0.0001% of the US population has this surname.
Notable people
- Darren GauciDarren GauciDarren Gauci is an Australian jockey. Born in Melbourne on 26 December 1965, he won the Senior Victorian Jockeys Premiership in 1983-84, 1985-86, and 1990-91. He has come close to winning Australian racing's greatest prize on three occasions, with seconds in the Melbourne Cup on Chagemar , Super...
(born 1965), Australian jockey - Kylie GauciKylie GauciKylie Gauci is from New South Wales. She plays for the Australian women's national wheelchair basketball team. She first started playing the sport in 1997. She got the call up to the national team in 2001. She competed at the 2004 Summer Paralympics and the 2008 Summer Paralympics, where she won...
, Australian wheelchair basketball player - Miriam GauciMiriam GauciMiriam Gauci is a Maltese operatic soprano, particularly associated with lyric Italian roles.- Life and career :Born in Malta, where she began her voice training, she completed her studies in the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi of Milan, Italy...
(born 1957), Maltese opera singer - Natalie GauciNatalie GauciNatalie Gauci is an Australian singer of Italian and Maltese descent. Gauci undertook music tuition at the Victorian College of the Arts, formed her own band that played gigs in Melbourne, while also working as a music teacher...
(born 1981), singer in Australia of mixed Maltese and Italian descent - Paul GauciPaul GauciPaul Gauci , was a lithographer of Maltese extraction, carrying on a business in London with his father, Maxim, and brother, William...
(fl. 1830s-1860s), Maltese-English lithographer - Reuben GauciReuben GauciReuben Gauci is a professional footballer currently playing with Maltese Premier League side Marsaxlokk, where he plays as a goalkeeper.-External links:* *...
(born 1983), Maltese footballer - Tony GauciTony GauciTony Gauci is a former proprietor of a clothes shop in Malta. According to evidence given at the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial in 2000, Mr Gauci sold the clothes which were said to have been wrapped around the improvised explosive device that brought the aircraft down...
, Maltese shopkeeper and witness for the prosecution in the Lockerbie case