nd surnames. They
were then said to be made plebeian or popular (fatti di popolo).
Niebuhr has noticed the analogy of such voluntary resignation of
nobility to the 'transitio ad plebem' of the Romans.

"This practice of changing arms and surnames originated from the
Ordinances of Justice promulgated about that time, which expressly
requires this as a condition to the enjoyment by any of the old
families of popular rights. It gave rise to great varieties of surnames
and armorial bearings in different branches of the same house. But it
has nevertheless been noted that in all these mutations it was still
the endeavour of the parties to retain as much as possible of the
ancient ensigns and appellations, so that traces of descent and
connexion might not in the progress of years be altogether obliterated.
Thus the Cavalcanti took the name of Cavallereschi, the Tornaquinci
that of Tornabuoni. Sometimes they obtained the object by a play upon
the name itself thus; at other times by making a patronymic of the
Christian name of the first or some other favourite ancestor; thus a
branch of the Bardi assumed the name of Gualterotti, and a branch of
the Pazzi that of Accorri. Sometimes they took their new name from a
place or circumstance calculated to preserve the memory of their
origin; thus the Agolanti designated themselves Fiesolani, the Bostichi
from the antiquity of their stock, Buonantichi. In mutation of arms a
similar object was borne in mind. Thus the Buondelmonti simply added to
their ancient bearings a mountain az. and a cross gu. The Baccelli, who
were a branch of the Mazzinghi, replaced the three perpendicular clubs,
the ancient ensigns of the family, by two placed in the form of a
cross.

"As the object of these provisions was to discriminate for the future
those of the ancient families who had acceded to the principles of the
popular institutions from their more haughty kindred, who remained true
to the defence of their feudal and aristocratical pretensions, the
change either of arms or surname was not required if the whole family
became converts to the new doctrines; for then there was no need of
discrimination, and the law was not framed out of any dislike merely to
particular ensigns, but only to the principles and opinions which they
had up to a certain time been understood t