The 110 most common surnames in Italy (and their meaning)

Italy is one of the most touristic places in the world, as it has beautiful landscapes, historical architectural places and the remnants of ancient Roman culture and the Renaissance era.

The important cultural background of the society of the Italian peninsula and the Italian islands can also be seen reflected in the names and surnames of the people of this nation. Therefore, throughout this article we will review the most common surnames in Italy, briefly explaining what they mean.

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The most frequent surnames in Italy (explained)

These are the most common surnames in Italy, which indirectly show us the history of this Mediterranean country.

1. rossi

It is the plural of Rosso, which alludes to the color red.

2. ferraro

It is an occupational surname that denotes the work of the blacksmith.

3. Russian

It is another surname that means 'red' and is a variant of: Rosso or Roth.

4. Lombard

It is a geographical surname that indicates people who come from Lombardy.

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5. ferrari

It is the plural word of Ferraro, which means 'blacksmith'.

6. by santis

It derives from the Latin word 'Sanctus' which means 'holy'.

7. husband

It is of Castilian origin, derived from the Spanish word 'foundling', a way of calling orphaned children who were raised in orphanages.

8. Head

There is no precise origin of the emergence of this surname, but etymologically it means 'face' or 'head'.

9. bianchi

It means 'white' and was used to refer to people with very white skin or gray hair.

10. grasso

It is derived from the word 'crasso' which means 'great'. It was a reference to fat people.

11. Colombo

It is a very common Italian surname in the Lombardy area. It can mean 'innocent' or 'pure'.

12. Parisian

It derives from the name 'Parisio', very popular in the Middle Ages. His origin is Catalan-Aragonese.

13. Roman

It comes from the Latin natural name 'Romanus', which refers to the people who belonged to Rome.

14. By Angelis

It is believed that it is a very old surname and that it may come from Casteltermini de Cammarata.

15. Ricci

It is an Italian word that means 'curly', so it could be attributed to people with this type of hair.

16. amato

Its origin comes from the Latin 'Amatus' which means 'the beloved'.

17. Rooster

It is believed that it may have started as a way of referring to people who were aggressive and impulsive like roosters.

18. Pellegrini

It is a surname that developed in northern Italy, its meaning is 'pilgrim'.

19. D'agostino

It is an Italian surname that comes from the Latin 'augustus', so it means 'related to Augustus'.

20. Riva

It is a surname that derives from the Latin word 'ripa' which refers to the banks of rivers.

21. Bruno

It can be used as a surname and as a name, its meaning is 'brown'.

22. Count

It is a very popular surname in Italy and France, it means 'Count'.

23. Greek

In Italian it means 'from Greece'. So it was a way of referring to those who came from that place.

24. Palumbo

It comes from an old nickname from medieval Italy, which means: 'Dove'

25. Marine

The origin of it derives from the Latin 'Marinus' which means 'the one who comes from the sea'.

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26. brambilla

It is said that it comes from a lineage of nobles who began to trade with handicrafts.

27. with you

There is no specific meaning for this surname, but it is known that it came from northern Sicily and Sardinia.

28. Morelli

It is believed that it is a surname of great antiquity and may come from a noble lineage, derived from the town of Morell.

29. Giordano

It comes from 'the Giordans' a powerful Roman legion who were at the Jordan River.

30. Farina

It comes from the Galician-Portuguese term 'farinha' which means 'flour'. So it could be a way of referring to bakers.

31. rizz

It is a surname that comes from the south of Italy and the north of Greece, it is one of the most widespread in the world.

32. sanna

It is a very common surname in Sardinia, it is believed that it was a nickname related to the shape of the teeth.

33. by luke

It is a variant of the surname De Lucas, which derives from 'lucius' which in Latin means 'the one who shines'.

34. Cabianca

It is a very popular surname in Italy and refers to white people.

35. Coast

It comes from the noun 'coast' which means 'sloping ground'. It is a variant of Sacosta.

36. Benedetti

It comes from Italian and means 'the blessed or blessed'.

37. Mancini

It was a very popular and powerful surname of the Roman era, it comes from the surname 'Mancinus'.

38. valentine

It derives from the Latin 'Valentis' which means 'he who is strong'.

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39. Lombardy

It is a variant of Lombardo, so it is a reference to those who come from Lombardy.

40. flower

Its origin is due to an old medieval name that means 'of the flower'.

41. Barbieri

It is an occupational surname and means 'barber'.

42. Barone

It was the title of 'Baron' given to some noble families.

43. fountain

It is a word originating from Latin that means 'source'.

44. Frank

It comes from the Latin 'Francus' which is a reference to the people of the French lands.

45. Moretti

It is believed to be the surname of ancient noble families and comes from the Italian name Mauro.

46. Fabiani

It is a toponymic surname that derives from the name Fabian.

47. Mariani

Although it is a very common Italian surname and spread throughout the world, a specific meaning is not known, but it can be a patronymic surname.

48. pink

It is a matronymic surname, which derives from the mother's name, in this case it comes from 'Rosa'.

49. Caruso

It can be attributed to the Italian word that etymologically means 'child'. It is believed that it could have been a nickname for working children.

50. Mazza

It means 'mallet' and it is believed that its origin dates back to the Roman era.

51. Galli

It is a surname that refers to a priest who was consecrated to the goddess Cibele in ancient times.

52. damico

He comes from one of the most remote families in the city of Sicily. Its meaning is 'belonging to the family of Amicus'.

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53. Ferrara

It does not have an exact origin, but it is believed that it may come from the term given to a food based on wheat or from a place called Farraria.

54. Martino

It is derived from the Latin 'Martinus' which in turn is a reference to the god of war, Mars.

55. Santoro

It derives from the medieval term 'Santorus', which in turn comes from the Latin 'Sanctorum Omnium', which was attributed to children born on All Saints' Day.

56. Silvestri

It comes from the Latin masculine name 'Silvestro' which means 'he who lives in the woods'.

57. Rinaldi

He comes from a Latin and Roman word meaning 'the voice of God'.

58. Bernardi

It is believed to be a geographical surname, although it can also refer to 'he who is strong as a bear'.

59. long

It is believed that it may come from the word 'Lóngo' which means 'long'.

60. Rossetti

Its meaning is 'pink' in Italian.

61. town

It comes from the Latin 'Vila' which refers to a small population of a city.

62. cow

It seems that this is a Celtic surname, which refers to cows.

63. Living room

It comes from the Germanic 'salla' which refers to rooms.

64. Orlando

It is a patronymic surname that originated from the Germanic name 'Ortland' which means 'the one famous for his battles'.

65. leone

It comes from the masculine name Leon, which is of Greek origin and refers to 'as strong as a lion'.

66. Castelli

It derives from Latin and refers to castles.

67. Martini

It is one of the adaptations of the name Martín or Martino, related to the god of war, Mars.

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68. Ruggiero

It comes from the Germanic name 'Hrodgaer' which means 'the glorious spear'.

69. carbon

It may come from a reference to people who worked with coal.

70. Spinelli

It derives from the word 'spino' which translates as 'thorn'.

71. d'angelo

It is a patronymic surname and means 'belonging to Angelo's family'.

72. Romeo

It is of Aragonese origin and was the way of referring to men from Rome.

73. White

It is a variant of Bianchi, so it means 'white'.

74. Montanari

It is a toponymic surname that refers to people who live in the mountains.

75. Martinelli

It comes from the male name 'Martinus' which is one of the Latin variants to refer to those consecrated to the god Mars.

76. Pozzi

It is a toponymic surname for people who were near a well.

77. Gatti

Means 'cat' in Italian. It is believed that it was a nickname for cunning people.

78. say stefano

It is a patronymic surname meaning 'those belonging to Stefano'.

79. vitale

Its meaning is 'the one who is full of life'.

80. Battaglia

It does not have a certain origin, but it can be a nickname to refer to people who returned from battles.

81. Serra

It comes from Latin and refers to people who worked with saws.

82. Valente

It comes from the Latin 'Valens', it was widely used in Roman times to refer to someone with courage or very good health.

83. Coppola

It comes from the word 'coppa' which means 'glass'.

84. Giuliani

It is derived from the 'gens Iulia', so its meaning is 'belonging to Julio'.

85. gentle

It comes from the Latin 'gentilis' and its meaning is 'foreigner'. A reference for those who were not Romans.

86. Costantin

Its origin is from the Latin 'Constans' which means 'balance or firmness'.

87. Cattaneo

It comes from the Latin 'capitaneus' which translates as 'captain'.

88. Mantovani

It is a geographical surname that refers to people who came from Mantova in Lombardy.

89. Moor

It is derived from the Latin 'morus' which refers to people with dark skin.

90. Pellegrino

It is a variant of the Pellegrini surname and means 'pilgrim'.

91. milani

It is a geographical surname for people who are originally from Milan.

92. by simon

It is a patronymic surname that refers to 'the descendants of Simone'.

93. Monty

It originates from the Latin word 'montis' which means 'height'.

94. basso

It means 'short' and it is believed that it could have been a nickname for people of short stature.

95. Marchetti

It is another of the variants to refer to the people consecrated to the god Mars.

96. Catalan

It comes from 'Cattelan', a way of referring to those who came from Catalonia.

97. Molinari

It is an occupational surname for those who work in mills or lived in one. It comes from the Latin word molinarus.

98. Square

It means 'square' and is a toponymic and occupational surname.

99. fabbri

It comes from the word 'Faber' which means 'craftsman'.

100. Calabrese

Its meaning in Italian is 'the man of life'.

101. D'andrea

It is a patronymic surname and means 'the one that comes from Andrea'.

102. Forte

It has both Italian and Portuguese origin and in both languages ​​it means 'strong'.

103. Raymondi

It originated from the Germanic name 'Raginmund' which means 'protection'.

104. say pietro

Patronymic surname that translates as 'related to Pietro'.

105. Furlan

It is a geographical surname for those who come from the Friuli region, it is a variant of 'Friulano'.

106. Viola

It comes from the female proper name that refers to violet flowers.

107. Sartori

It is a variant of 'sarto', it is an occupational surname for tailors.

108. Cop

It is derived from the masculine name Paolo, which comes from the Latin 'paulus' which means 'little'.

109. Parisian

It is a reference used for people who came from Paris, France or who were originally from the Celtic tribe, Parisii.

110. oliver

It is an occupational surname given to people who worked in the olive fields.