Podesta (surname) explained

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 (1608–1674), Italian painter
• Guido Podestà (born 1947), Italian politician
• Massimo Podestà, Italian artist
• Rossana Podestà (1934–2013), Italian actress
• Stefano Podestà (born 1939), Italian academic and politician

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

Spanish spelling: Podest

• Erika Podest, Panamanian environmental earth scientist for NASA

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
  • Podesta emails
• Tony Podesta (born 1943), American lobbyist

English spelling: DePodesta

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

See also

• Podesta (disambiguation)
• Palazzo del Podesta (disambiguation)

Notes and 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.