UNICO was founded by Italians who were denied membership in the local Rotary Club because they were Italian and to show that Italian Americans were loyal to America first and held no allegiance to Italy except through cultural traditions. This is a category based on linguistic origin. Categorization of various list articles where some entries may be Italian by ancestry, culture, ethnicity, or nationality is unwarranted without references attesting to the relation between the surname and the Italian language. 14 hours ago · Unico is the Italian word for "unique", chosen to represent the one-of-a-kind nature of the organization. The word has since become a backronym which stands for Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, … The Unico System provides whisper-quiet, draft-free even temperatures preferred by homeowne... Dec 1, 2025 · Sure, some sound downright hilarious to our modern ears, but behind every quirky lastname lies a surprising origin story. UNICO was founded on October 10, 1922 in Waterbury, Connecticut. A group of 15 men, led by Dr. Vastola, came together to create what has become a very special and very proud organization. The name is the Italian word for unique, one of a kind. The founders believed that UNICO would be the only one of its kind because it placed service to the community before and above fraternity. Some Italiansurnames have existed for hundreds of years, passing down through many generations. We’ll explore how Italianlastnames often show family trades, hometown locations, or physical traits. It was time for law-abiding American citizens of Italian descent to offset the humiliations pressed upon Italian Americans. This was to be done by doing good deeds for others, thus the motto, “Service Above Self”.