Leonardo Da Vinci's grandfather Antonio and father Piero were
notaries, and Antonio noted the birth of Leonardo in a notary book of the
14th century used as a collection of memories of the family, writing, "Nacque un mio nipote, figliolo di ser Piero mio figliolo a dì 15 aprile del 1452 in sabato a ore 3 di notte [according to the
Gregorian calendar, the 23rd of April at 9:40 p.m.] Ebbe nome Lionardo." This notarial notebook originally belonged to Antonio's grandfather, Guido Da Vinci. The note continues: "Battizzollo prete Piero di Bartolomeo da Vinci, in presenza di Papino di Nanni, Meo di Tonino, Pier di Malvolto, Nanni di Venzo, Arigo di Giovanni Tedesco, monna Lisa di Domenico di Brettone, monna Antonia di Giuliano, monna Niccolosa del Barna, monna Maria, figlia di Nanni di Venzo, monna Pippa di Previcone". The register does not indicate Leonardo's place of birth, which is believed to be the house that Piero's family owned, together with a farm, in
Anchiano, where Caterina Buonfiglioli (1436–1495), Leonardo's mother went to live. The house of Anchiano (see the picture) entered into the possessions of the Da Vinci family
after the birth of Leonardo, thus he was not born there but in the village of Vinci and then he was with his mother near the church of San Pantaleo, now in ruins, outside Vinci. Starting in the 17th century, the surname changed from Da Vinci to Vinci. Film director
Franco Zeffirelli was a descendant of Leonardo's father. In 2021, fourteen living descendants of Leonardo da Vinci's father were found in Italy. On 21 May 2025, the investigations into the
Y chromosome of living descendants continue, with 6 living descendants having undergone DNA analysis; The investigations have confirmed that portions of the Y chromosome coincide with each other, thus confirming the genetic continuity of the male line of the Da Vinci family, at least starting from the 15th generation. In 2025, the family is 713 years old and the current head of the family is Paolo Vinci (born 1935). == Family tree ==