We observe first that the history of the origins of Recanati is today, despite the progress of history and language studies, a significant problem of interpretation. The only fact is that the name "Recanati" is attested in a document dating back to 1139, when Pope Innocent II (died September 24, 1143) confirmed some property rights to the monastery of “Fonte Avellana”, naming for the first time in history a church, called "Santa Maria di Recanati [sic]." The document in question, taken from “Camaldolesi Annals”, year 1139, so it said: "[...] Ecclesiam Sancte(ae) Mariae de ‘Recanato’ cum aliis Ecclesiis earumque pertinentiis [...]". I.e., "[We grant the Monastery] the Church of “Santa Maria di 'Recanati', with other churches and all their appurtenances." This ancient document has been handed down to us, and of course, from ancient sources, including Count Monaldo Leopardi (1776-1847) , Giacomo's (1798-1837) father, who had written a “History of Recanati” (See Monaldo Leopardi, “Serie dei Vescovi di Recanati, con alcune notizie della città e della Chiesa di Recanati”, ["Series of Bishops of Recanati, with some city news and the Church of Recanati], Recanati, G. Murici, 1828, p. 46, footnote 1).

With regard to the etymology of place-name, quickly summarizing the “status quaestionis”, we can say that the problem of meaning of it remains somewhat uncertain. According to the traditional hypothesis and more established, which today is widely accepted and repeated by everyone, it seems that "Recanati" comes from the Latin word "Ricinetum" (or "Recinetum), widely attested and passed by all the ancient historians, as Flavius Blondus (1392-1463), for example, who wrote: "[...] Recanetum civitatem, quae 'Ricinetum' principio appeallata est [...]; i.e.," The city of Recanati, which was originally called 'Ricinetum'. " Basically, as is stated on very recent studies, "Ricinetum" was founded by refugees from the nearby town  "Helvia Ricina," who, attacked  by the Goths (407 AD),  would seek refuge on top of the hill where now is sited Recanati, calling it "Ricinetum," a diminutive of 'Ricina', for which it was called “ ‘Little’ Ricina”. In this regard, M. Fagiolo writes that "[...] it also seems to be exact, according to recent studies, the assumptions made about the continuity of the new name emerged in medieval village on top of a nearby hill, 'Ricineto' then 'Recanato’, the current ‘Recanati’ [...]" (See “Atti del Convegno su Sisto V, Corso Internazionale di Alta Cultura” ["Proceedings of the Conference about Sixtus V, International Course of High Culture"], Rome, 19-29 October 1989, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato, 1992, Vol. 2 p. 356).

According to this interpretation, thus, "Ricinetum-Recanati" means, more or less, "the little Ricina,"  “little town built from the ruins of ‘Ricina’”. This explains a lot, but it doesn’t explain what means the term "Ricina". On this side of the problem, the assumptions have been many, and sometimes very imaginative. The traditional case was illustrated by same Count  Monaldo Leopardi, who wrote that "[...] some want it to take its name from a temple dedicated to 'Venus Ericina' ... from the famous temple erected to her in Sicily by Aeneas on Mount Erice, and others wrote that it had its name to "Cino King", who ruled in Italy four centuries after the flood [...]". Count Monaldo Leopardi recognized that it was also legends, and, after having said that "not having the eyes sharp enough to penetrate at times so far", he basically gave up making any assumptions.

We must however say that in recent years, some linguistic studies have pointed out that the Latin name  "Ricina" has close links with the name "Recco" (Province of Genoa), which would be a pre-Latin word, Celtic, more precisely, that would rooted precisely in the Celtic word "Rico", meaning "furrow". "Rico" ("furrow") is therefore the root of different place-names: "Ricina", "Reca", “Recho” and “Recco”. In this case, therefore, "Ricina-Recanati" would probably have a relationship with the "furrow" track by plough; probably it could mean "the land cleared," "plowed," "land suitable for agriculture;" and, moreover, knowing that the settlements were searched in fertile places  for agriculture, perhaps the “Celtic” etymology  has a great deal of credibility, partly because, historically, we know that Senones had settled along the Adriatic coast, and in particular in the “Marche” ( “Marche” is the plural of Italian word “Marc[a]”, to indicate a region composed of many territories. The term “Marca” had indicated, in Carolingian period, territories on borders of Empire and with an administrative autonomy). (About the question of relationship “Ricina”-“Recco”, See “Toponimi Celtici d'Italia; i Paleonimi localizzati ( M-Z)”  ["Celtic Place-names of Italy, the localized Pal-names (MZ)”] in “Wikipedia”).

Historically, Recanati was born from the union, in the twelfth century, of three castles, “Monte Morello”,  “Monte San Vito”, and “Monte Volpino”, which together constitute the oldest part of Recanati, which, from the beginning and until the Unification of Italy belonged , with ups and downs, the rule of Church State. However, during the conflict between Papacy and Empire, Recanati sided with the Swabians and Frederick II (1194-1250). During the so-called “Avignon Period”, when the Holy Seed was at Avignon, the city rebelled against papal authority, and, for this reason, it was deprived of the bishopric privilege, but it was returned with the Cardinal Albornoz. Since the fifteenth century a very important and economic privilege for Recanati was formed by the power to establish an annual Fair, a privilege that was confirmed by the pope in 1422. The Recanati Fair, over time, became the largest trade event of the Papal States, with an exceptional volume of business for a few months each year involving Italian and foreign merchants. The market was also bolstered by the presence of  “Porto Recanati” (the structure was given by Frederick II of Swabia), which allowed a wider market of local artefacts, especially potteries, footwear and wool.

But there was a decline from the sixteenth century, for competition of Ancona Port; it involved a restructuring of the city economy, which was transformed from commercial to agricultural, with a preponderance of subsequent land investments, and also with considerable consequences over urban structure, because of the disappearance of merchant. Between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries there are in fact the most significant changes of  ancient urban structure of Recanati, with the construction of new buildings, but also with  demolition of old buildings like the Town Hall, although it was preserved the famous “Ghibellina” Tower in “Piazza Leopardi”. In the twentieth century, changes occur outside the walls, and Old Town was preserved, being today a tourist destination for more and more people, who meets a modern industrial city, rich in services, but also deeply tied to their cultural roots, particularly to Giacomo Leopardi, whose work is a source of cultural meetings and conferences of the highest level, involving Italian and foreign scholars.