Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa. His father was Domenico Colombo, a wool weaver who worked in Genoa and Savona and owned a cheese stand at which young Christopher worked. His mother was Susanna Fontanarossa. He had three brothers—Bartholomew, Giovanni Pellegrino, and Giacomo (also called Diego)—as well as a sister, Bianchinetta. Although there are theories and supposed evidence linking him to any number of regions, countries, and even religions, the consensus among historians is that Columbuss family came from Genoa in Liguria, a coastal region of northern Italy stretching from Piedmont in the north to Tuscany in the south.