The surname Jorizzo,

present indeed in northern Italy, in the 1700,

is however strictly connetted with the history of the small village of “Polcherino”,

today’s Villanova, on the

slopes of the green hills of the beautiful southern Italy,

in Campania region.

In the 640 and 928 AC the area was at one time populated by

eastern population.

After 1400 again, many people, in order to escape to Turkish invasion

left their countries, coming to Italy.

So the Schiavoni, a Dalmatian Rumanian population,

so, also the famous Elena Castriota,

daughter of Dalmatian hero Scandeberg,

who led some population to Puglia, Molise and Campania,

no far from Villanova village,

and at end, when she married Prince of Bisignano,

to Calabria, southern region in the south Italy.

In the 1460, again

some Dalmatian Families,

led to Italy by their prince Juri,

moved from Istria to Southern Italy.

Juri settled in Italy with the help of the

Italian Prince of Altamura, Pirro del Balzo,

who managed to increase his large estate, after earthquake of 1456,

with the blessing of the Pope Pio II, who donated an

antique crucifix still kept in Villanova as a historic memory.

It is from the name of the prince Juri

that probably derivates the name of his descendants

Juriviz, Jurizza, Jorizzo or Iorizzo people.

The common origin is also stated in the XVIII century

stone pictured below.

In the 1741 A.C.

only Ciriaco and Giovanni Jorizzo

were living in Villanova

The family logo,

found in the last century, on

the documents, ceramics and existing sculptures

belongs to the branch of Jorizzo family, whose genealogy

is reported further.