Podesta (surname)

In the past, the Podesta was a high official in Italian republics of the medieval or early modern period. (Currently, Podestà is still the title of some Italian magistrates,[1] and of mayors in Italian-speaking municipalities of Graubünden in Switzerland.)

By extension, the word has been used in English to designate a particularly powerful government official or potentate.[2]

The Italian title gave rise to a surname, which then gave rise to a company name.

Spelling variants

The surname has Italian, Spanish and English-language spellings which vary only by the position of an accent over the final "a".

Podestà variant

In its Italian-language spelling (grave accent over the "a") the name "Podestà" may refer to:

Podestá variant

In its Spanish-language spelling (with an acute accent over the "a") the name "Podestá" may refer to:

Podesta variant

In its English-language spelling (with no accent), the name "Podesta" may refer to:

Other variants

  • Erika Podest, Panamanian environmental earth scientist for NASA
  • Paul DePodesta (born 1972), American football executive and former baseball executive

See also

References

  1. ^ Collins English Dictionary, entry "Podesta", accessed 3 September 2016.
  2. ^ E.g. see Thomas Frank, "The life of the parties: The influence of "influence" in Washington", Le Monde Diplomatique (English edition), 6 July 2016, accessed 3 September 2016.
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