Angela
Elite member
- Messages
- 21,823
- Reaction score
- 12,329
- Points
- 113
- Ethnic group
- Italian
It seems to be in every country.
In England it can be seen by looking at Norman surnames:
Same in Florence: the same families are still at the top.
https://qz.com/694340/the-richest-f...7-are-still-the-richest-families-in-florence/
"While researchers admit the flaws to tracing family wealth using surnames, they point out Italian surnames are usually highly regional and tend to pass on linearly. The families at the top of the socioeconomic ladder six centuries ago are the top earners among current taxpayers. Those at the top of the ladder had the most prestigious jobs, while families at the bottom had less esteemed occupations, with earnings below the median.While it comes as little surprise that families pass on their wealth to their children, it’s still somewhat remarkable that these families were able to maintain their wealth through various sieges of Florence, Napoleon’s campaign in Italy, Benito Mussolini’s dictatorship, and two world wars.
The same is true in Genova and Venezia.
There have been changes over time, of course, with some of the offspring falling down the economic ladder and the surnames thus being found in lower social classes. There's some holder of a Dukedom in England who is now a landscape gardener. However, some of the descendants have held onto their wealth and status.
Some combination of cautious spending, planning for the future of their progeny, and genetics must be some of the factors.
In England it can be seen by looking at Norman surnames:
Same in Florence: the same families are still at the top.
https://qz.com/694340/the-richest-f...7-are-still-the-richest-families-in-florence/
"While researchers admit the flaws to tracing family wealth using surnames, they point out Italian surnames are usually highly regional and tend to pass on linearly. The families at the top of the socioeconomic ladder six centuries ago are the top earners among current taxpayers. Those at the top of the ladder had the most prestigious jobs, while families at the bottom had less esteemed occupations, with earnings below the median.While it comes as little surprise that families pass on their wealth to their children, it’s still somewhat remarkable that these families were able to maintain their wealth through various sieges of Florence, Napoleon’s campaign in Italy, Benito Mussolini’s dictatorship, and two world wars.
The same is true in Genova and Venezia.
There have been changes over time, of course, with some of the offspring falling down the economic ladder and the surnames thus being found in lower social classes. There's some holder of a Dukedom in England who is now a landscape gardener. However, some of the descendants have held onto their wealth and status.
Some combination of cautious spending, planning for the future of their progeny, and genetics must be some of the factors.