The ancient territory of Emilia Romagna incorporates the cities of Bologna, Ferrara, Forli, Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Ravenna in mid-northern Italy. The region is well known for its agriculture, natural resources and industry. The earliest origins of the surname Signorile have been traced to this region in the northern part of Italy in Ferrara a city in Emilia capital of the province of Ferrara. History dates back to 753. It was at war with Venice in 1471. I t is a walled city and notable is the Church of S. Cristoforo. Knitted goods and shawls are made. In those ancient times only persons of rank, the podesta, clergy, city officials, army officers, artists, landowners were entered into the records. To be recorded at this time was in itself a family honour.

Italian surnames have a surprising number of variations when compared with other European surnames. These variations occurred as Italian language and dialects. They sometimes changed from father to son. The surname Signorile also shares the same heritage as Signorelli, Signorini, Signore, Signorello, Signoriello, Signoretti, Signori, Signorino, Signoroni, Signorino, Shgnorellus, Signorettus, Senior, Senioris, Signoraccio, Signoria, Signorili, Signoris, .

The region inherited the name Emilia a name which was taken from an ancient Roman road named Via Aemilia which linked Rimini to Piacenza during the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. The path of this ancient road is traced today by Italy�s modern railway. During Roman times, the region of Emilia was ruled by imperial judges historically linked to either Liguria or Tuscia, now the region of Tuscany. In the 6th century, when the Lombards, a Germanic people, invaded northern and central Italy, the kingdom of Lombardy was formed. This included the region known as Emilia. The Lombard dynasty was overthrown by Charlemagne in 774 and Romagna came under Byzantine rule for the next two hundred years, with Ravenna as capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. In 962, Pope John XII crowned Germanic leader Otto emperor, and all of northern Italy came under his rule. This event marked the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Holy Roman emperors had varying degrees of control over northern Italy until the close of the Middle Ages. Meanwhile in southern Italy, the Byzantines still held power. However, this changed in the 11th century, when the Normans defeated the Byzantines, and much of their power and influence was lost. The northern cities formed the Lombard League and were successful in eroding imperial power.

Pope Nicholas III took control of Ravenna in 1278 and the region was governed by a Spaniard, Cardinal Albornoz, during the papal schism. For the next few centuries both Emilia and Romagna were ruled by papal legates, who were representatives of the Pope sent to manage the government of the people. During this period important members of the Signorile family were found in Ferrara where they were first anciently recorded. They branched into Perugia, Rome, Genoa, Piemont, Pistoja, and Florence where Manno Signorino was recorded in 1387, Lucca, Messina, and Verona. From their early beginnings, for the next few centuries, the family name also acquired other interests as branches of this fine old Italian family established themselves throughout Italy. They were displaced by the many conflicts of the time, the economics, or better opportunities as they pursued religion, politics or acquired better estates. In 1409 Carlo Strozzi had in his possession the fortress of Campi, Loiano, Chiavello and others. In the seventeenth century the Count Iacopo Strozzi was lord of Charental and other lands in Austria and Bohemia.

Emilia became part of the Italian republic during the period of the French Revolution at the end of the 18th century. Later, it came under the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte. Parma, a duchy at this time, was given to Marie-Louise, wife of Napoleon, and Modena belonged to Francis of Austria. In 1848 a revolution in Vienna initiated risings against Austrian rule. Notable during these late middle ages members of the lineage of Signorile were the Signorelli family of Ferrara.

The following decades found uprisings in several regions which culminated in 1861, when the Kingdom of Italy was established. During this unification of Italy, the territories of Emilia and Romagna were incorporated into a new nation and were joined to form the present region in 1948.