The Meaning and Origins of Italian Last Names

The origins of Italian surnames vary. Many are derived from the names of people, places, professions, or nicknames, and most originated in the Middle Ages when the practice largely started. A large number of Italian surnames end in the letter i, due to the medieval Italian habit of identifying families by the name of the ancestors in the plural. Some Italian family names were formed using a modifying suffix, for example:

» ello/illo/etto/ino, e.g., Bernardino, Bernardello
» one, e.g., Mangione
» accio/azzo/asso , e.g., Boccaccio

Regional Influences on Surnames

Frequently, the geographical origin of a person can be deduced from his last name, since certain endings are characteristic of certain regions. For example, the Italian last name Ferrero is associated with the Piemonte region, while Bissacco is associated with Friuli-Venezia Giulia.

The Italian preposition di is often used to indicate parenthood; many Italian surnames arise from this use: Di Pietro, Di Stefano. Family names with the prefix Di are spread throughout Italy, with the highest frequency in Abruzzo-Molise, Sicily, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and the Veneto. Family names with the prefix De are typical in Southern Italy and Sardinia; they are also somewhat common with surnames native to Northern Italy.

Origins of Common Italian Surnames

Italian surnames also derive from a job held or a profession practiced by an ancestor. For example, a person with the last name Ghirlandaio might have had an ancestor who was a florist because ghirlanda is a wreath or garland.