The Origins of the Philippi(y)

Origins in Italy

Braccio Filippi (787)

Braccio Filippi was the mythical founder of the FILIPPI dynasty. In 787 he was invested as Knight by Charlemagne. He belonged to a patrician family from Florence, Italy who claimed to be descendants of Quinto Marcio Filippi di Montefilippi. Quinto fought with Julius Caesar.

Also, the founder of GONDI family, Orlando di Bellicozzo, was a descendant of Braccio Filippi. Orlando was a member of the Council of Florence in 1197. The family took its surname from one of his great-grandsons, Gondo di Ricovero, whom we find among the signers of a treaty between the Republic of Florence and Genoa in 1241

 

 

The Arms of the GONDI (Courtesy of the British Museum)

 

From Florence to Montpellier

According to several sources, the Philippi family came from Florence, Italy to Montpellier, France around the time that Catherine de' Medici (1519-1589) came to France to be wed to Henry, Duke of Orleans in 1533.As the "Nobiliare universal de France" (1814) reports, "Famille originaire de Florence en Toscane. Une branche passe a France et s établit dans le Languedoc. Un Philippy fut président de la cour des aides de Montpellier en 1579 un Philippy était intendant de la province. Cette famille est maintenant en Picardie connue sous le nom de Philippy Bucelli d Estrées à cause de la baronie d' Estrées qu elle possède" (407).

Originally, the last name Philippi was probably " Filippi" and later changed to sound more French. Another spelling of the family name exits: Philippy. For the purpose of this blog we will use the Philippi spelling.

The name of Bucelly also appears in some documents as Bucelli. We will use the later spelling in this blog. 

Jean Philippi (Source 4)

The first Philippi to settle in Montpellier was Guyot PHILIPPI who was notaire du clergé from 1529 to 1531. Eustache Philippi is either the son or nephew of Guyot. 

1)  Eustache Philippi, doctor of law and conseiller à la cour des aides ( 1524), premier consul de Montpellier (1551). It is unknown who he married but issued:

a) Jean, doctor of law, conseiller à la cour des aides m. (1548) Catherine de Bucelly had issue. 

Click to see BUCELLI Genealogy 

b) Guillaume, procureur général (1560) m. ? had issue.
c) Isabel m. Arnaud PASCAL (1562)  and had issue.
 

Philippi de Bucelli/Philippy de Bucelly

The Philippi family adopted the name of Bucelly perhaps through the marriage of Catherine the Bucelly to Jean Philippi in 1548. It is however, noted in the genealogical tree done by André-Pierre FRANTZEN that Françoise (son of Guillaume) become Lord of Bucelly around the time of his marriage to Anne FOURNIER d'YNONVILLE in 1587.

Thus, it is possible that the addition of the last name of Bucelly comes from the title gained by  Françoise and/or the marriage of Jean Philippi to Catherine de Bucelly.

First Lord of Tronquoy

City Hall of Saint Quentin

Pasquier PHILIPPI de BUCELLY  (son of Françoise)  become the first Lord of Tronqoy in 1608. He married Martine HULIN and issued Paul. Pasquier was a member of the Council of the King. He was elected to this important position to represent  Saint Quentin. It was the lineage of Paul that become the first Barons of Estrées.

From Montpellier to Picardy

By the 17th century, a branch of the Philippi had moved to Saint Quentin located in the historical province of Picardy, in the northern part of France. It appears that the lands of the Philippi were in this region.

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Sources Consulted:

1) "Académie des sciences et lettres de montpellier", Tome 3, 1859 online edition. Accessed edition through Google Books.

2) Wikipedia entry  "Filippi" family

3) Gondi Family (www.gondi.com)

4) The archives of the National Library of France (BNF)

5) Les souvenirs d'émigration" (edited by Claudine ALLAG). The original image painted on ivory belongs to a private collector.

6) "Les Phillipi Bucelly d'Estrées (1544-1942)" by André-Pierre FRANTZEN. The genealogical work can be found complete at the archives of the National Library of France.