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 spellings which vary only by the position of an accent over the final "a".

Italian spelling: Podestà

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

Agostino Podestà (1905–1969), Italian fascist politician
Giovanni Andrea Podestà (1608 - c. 1674), Italian painter
Guido Podestà (born 1947), Italian politician
Massimo Podestà, Italian artist
Rossana Podestà (1934–2013), Italian actress

Spanish spelling: Podestá

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

Babsie Podestá (1912–2004), Maltese water polo player
Cristian Podestá (born 1991), Argentine footballer
Horacio Podestá (1911–1999), Argentine rower
Inti Podestá (born 1978), Uruguayan footballer
Jerónimo Podestá (1920–2000), Argentine bishop
María Esther Podestá (1896–1983), Argentine actress
Pablo Podestá (1875–1923), Uruguayan-Argentine stage actor, singer, acrobat
Raúl Podestá (1899–1970), Argentine painter and sculptor

English spelling: Podesta

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

Andrea Giacomo Podesta (1620-after 1640), Italian engraver and painter
Heather Podesta (born 1970), American lobbyist
John Podesta (born 1949), American lawyer, White House Chief of Staff of Bill Clinton
Tony Podesta (born 1943), American lobbyist

English spelling: DePodesta

Paul DePodesta (born 1972), American football executive and former baseball executive

References

Collins English Dictionary, entry "Podesta", accessed 3 September 2016.
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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[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.