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, 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.

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