Italian Surnames

Italian names are used in Italy and other Italian-speaking regions such as southern Switzerland. See also about Italian names.
usage
Romano 1 Italian
Derived from the given name Romano.
Romano 2 Italian
Denoted a person from the city of Rome, either a resident or someone who visited as a pilgrim. In Calabria it was also used to designate a person from New Rome, a name for Constantinople.
Roncalli Italian
From the names of places like Ronco or Ronchi, quite common in northern Italy, derived from ronco meaning "cleared land, terraced land". It was the surname of Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (1881-1963), the pope John XXIII.
Ronchi Italian
From Italian places named Ronchi, derived from ronco meaning "cleared land, terraced land". It is most common in northern and central Italy.
Rosa Italian, Catalan
Italian and Catalan form of Rose 1.
Rossi Italian
Derived from a nickname for a red-haired person, from Italian rosso, Latin russus meaning "red". This is the most common surname in Italy.
Rossini Italian
Diminutive form of Rossi. A famous bearer was the Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868).
Rotolo Italian
From the Italian word for a measure of weight, from southern Italian dialects, derived from Greek via Arabic.
Rovigatti Italian
From the name of the city of Rovigo in northeastern Italy near Venice. It was called Rodigium in Latin, and is of unknown meaning.
Ruggeri Italian
Derived from the given name Ruggero.
Ruggiero Italian
From the given name Ruggiero.
Russo Italian
Variant of Rossi.
Rustici Italian
From Italian rustico meaning "rustic, rural".
Ruzzier Italian
From a dialectal variant of Ruggiero. It is typical of northeastern Italy, the area around Trieste.
Sabbadin Italian
From a nickname from Italian sabbato "Saturday", a name for one born on that day of the week.
Sacco Italian
Occupational name for a maker of sacks, from Italian sacco, Latin saccus.
Sala Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Romanian
Occupational name for a worker at a manor house, from the Romance word sala meaning "hall, large room", of Germanic origin.
Salucci Italian
From Italian sale meaning "salt".
Salvaggi Italian
Italian form of Savage.
Salvatici Italian
Italian form of Savage.
Salvi Italian
From the given name Salvo or Salvio.
Sanna Italian
From Italian sanna or zanna meaning "tusk, fang", a nickname for a person with a protruding tooth.
Sansone Italian
Derived from the given name Sansone.
Santini Italian
Diminutive form of Santo.
Santo Italian
Italian form of Santos.
Santoro Italian
Means "all saint's day" in Italian, a nickname for one born on that day.
Sapienti Italian
Means "wise, learned" in Italian.
Sarno Italian
Originally denoted a person from Sarno in Italy, named for the Sarno River (called Sarnus in Latin).
Sarti Italian
Variant of Sarto.
Sartini Italian
Diminutive form of Sarto.
Sarto Italian
Occupational name meaning "tailor" in Italian, from Latin sartor, from sarcire meaning "to mend".
Sartor Italian
Variant of Sarto.
Sartore Italian
Variant of Sarto.
Savona Italian
From the name of the city of Savona in northern Italy, called Savo by the Romans, of uncertain meaning.
Scarpa Italian
Means "shoemaker" from Italian scarpa meaning "shoe".
Scarsi Italian
Nickname for a poor or miserly person, from Italian scarso "scarce, scant".
Scavo Italian
Means "serf, slave", from Old Sicilian scavu.
Sciacca Italian
Originally denoted someone from Sciacca, Sicily, Italy, which is of uncertain origin.
Sciarra Italian
From Sicilian sciarra meaning "quarrel, dispute", originally a nickname for a quarrelsome person.
Scola Italian
From Italian scuola meaning "school".
Scordato Italian
Means "forgotten, left behind" in Italian.
Scotti Italian
From the medieval given name Francescotto, a diminutive of Francesco.
Sebastiani Italian
From the given name Sebastiano.
Segreti Italian
From Italian segreto meaning "secret", a nickname for a confidant.
Selvaggio Italian
Italian form of Savage.
Serafin Polish, Italian
Derived from the given name Serafin or Serafino.
Serafini Italian
Derived from the given name Serafino.
Serpico Italian
From a nickname derived from Italian serpe "serpent, reptile".
Serra Italian, Portuguese, Catalan
Italian, Portuguese and Catalan cognate of Sierra.
Sessa Italian
Originally indicated a person from from Sessa or Sessa Cilento, Italy (from Latin Suessa, of uncertain meaning).
Sgro Italian
Nickname for a curly-haired person, from Greek σγουρός (sgouros) meaning "curly".
Siena Italian
Indicated a person from Siena in Italy, which was named after the Gaulish tribe of the Senones.
Silvestri Italian
Derived from the given name Silvester.
Sinagra 1 Italian
Originally denoted a person from Sinagra on Sicily, possibly derived from Latin sinus "inlet" and ager "field".
Sinagra 2 Italian
Derived from the given name Senagora, an Italian form of Xenagoras.
Soldati Italian
From Italian soldato meaning "soldier", ultimately from Latin solidus, a type of Roman coin.
Somma Italian
From the names of Italian places like Somma Lombardo or Somma Vesuviana, derived from Latin summa meaning "summit".
Sordi Italian
From Italian sordo meaning "deaf", from Latin surdus.
Soriano Italian
From place names such as Soriano Calabro and Soriano nel Cimino. It is typical of southern Italy.
Sorrentino Italian
Derived from the town of Sorrento near Naples, called Surrentum in Latin, of unknown meaning.
Spada Italian
Occupational name for an armourer or swordsman, from Italian spada "sword", Latin spatha.
Spanò Sicilian
From Sicilian spanu meaning "sparse, thin hair", ultimately from Greek σπάνιος (spanios) meaning "scarce, rare".
Sparacello Italian
From Sicilian sparaciu meaning "asparagus", an occupational name for an asparagus seller or grower.
Speziale Italian
Means "grocer" in Italian, derived from Latin speciarius "spice seller".
Spini Italian
Denoted a person who lived near thorn bushes, from Italian spina "thorn, spine", from Latin.
Stabile Italian
From the medieval Italian given name Stabile meaning "stable, firm".
Stablum Italian
Northern Italian name derived from Latin stabulum meaning "stable".
Stilo Italian
Derived from the name of the town of Stilo in southern Italy. It is possibly derived from Greek στῦλος (stylos) meaning "column, pillar".
Tafani Italian
From the nickname tafano meaning "gadfly", indicating an annoying person.
Tamaro Italian
Possibly from the Old German given name Thietmar. It is typical of the area around Trieste in northern Italy.
Tamboia Italian
Possibly means "drummer", from Italian tamburo meaning "drum".
Tanzi Italian
From a short form of the given name Costanzo.
Tarantino Italian
Locational name that originally designated a person who came from Taranto, a city in southeastern Italy, which was originally called Τάρας (Taras) by Greek colonists. A famous bearer of this name is the American director Quentin Tarantino (1963-).
Taverna Italian
From the place name Taverna, common in different parts of Italy. It means "inn, tavern" in Italian.
Tedesco Italian
From Italian tedesco meaning "German".
Terranova Italian
Means "new land" in Italian.
Terzi 1 Italian
From the given name Terzo, or a name for a third child.
Tessaro Italian
Occupational name meaning "weaver", ultimately from Latin texarius.
Testa Italian
From an Italian nickname meaning "head".
Tiraboschi Italian
Possibly of Lombardic origin meaning "shepherd" (from Old German tior "animal" and bursa "boy"). This surname is typical of Lombardy.
Tivoli Italian
Derived from the resort town of Tivoli, near Rome, originally called Tibur in Latin, of uncertain origin.
Todaro Italian
From a regional form of a given name Todaro, a variant of Teodoro. It is quite common in Sicily.
Toloni Italian
Derived from the given name Bartolomeo.
Tornincasa Italian
From a medieval Italian name given to a boy born after the death of a previous one, derived from Italian ritorna in casa "come back home".
Toselli Italian
Diminutive form of Tosi.
Tosetti Italian
Diminutive form of Tosi.
Tosi Italian
Means "clean-shaven", usually denoting a younger man, from Latin tonsus "shaved".
Tosto Italian
From a nickname for a tough, stubborn person, from Italian tosto "hard, tough".
Trapani Italian
From the name of the Sicilian city of Trapani, derived from Greek δρεπάνη (drepane) meaning "sickle".
Traversa Italian
Italian form of Travers.
Traversi Italian
Italian form of Travers.
Traversini Italian
Italian variant of Travers.
Traverso Italian
Italian form of Travers.
Trucco Italian
Denoted a person coming from a place of this name in northern Italy.
Tumicelli Italian
Possibly from a diminutive of the given name Bartolomeo.
Turati Italian
From the name of the town of Turate near Como in Lombardy.
Turchi Italian
Means "Turkish" in Italian.
Uberti Italian
Derived from the given name Uberto.
Uccello Italian
Means "bird" in Italian, either a nickname for a person who resembled a bird or an occupational name for a birdcatcher.
Uggeri Italian
Derived from the given name Edgardo.
Ughi Italian
From the given name Ugo.
Ungaretti Italian
Diminutive of Ungaro.
Ungaro Italian
Means "Hungarian" in Italian.
Vacca Italian
Means "cow" in Italian, originally denoting a person who worked with cattle.
Vaccaro Italian
Occupational name meaning "cowherd" in Italian.
Valenti Italian
Patronymic from the given name Valente, an Italian form of Valens. A famous bearer of the surname was Jack Valenti (1921-2007), advisor to American president Lyndon Johnson.
Valentini Italian
Means "son of Valentino".
Valerio Italian
From the given name Valerio.
Varano Italian
Derived from one of the many towns of this name in Italy.
Ventimiglia Italian
From the name of the historical Italian city Ventimiglia, now near the French border, ultimately from Latin Albintimilium.
Verona Italian
From the name of the city of Verona, one of the most important historical cities of northern Italy. The meaning of the city's name is uncertain.
Vescovi Italian
Derived from Italian vescovo meaning "bishop".
Vespa Italian
From an Italian nickname meaning "wasp".
Vestri Italian
From the given name Silvestro.
Vicario Spanish, Italian
Means "vicar" in Spanish and Italian, an ecclesiastic title used to denote a representative of a bishop. It is derived from Latin vicarius meaning "substitute, deputy".
Vico Italian
Means "town" in Italian, derived from Latin vicus.
Vigo Italian
Variant of Vico.
Villa Italian, Spanish
Means "town" in Italian and Spanish, from Latin. It was originally given to a person who came from a town, as opposed to the countryside.
Vinci 1 Italian
From the given name Vincenzo.
Vinci 2 Italian
Originally indicated a person from Vinci near Florence, the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci.
Viola Italian
From the given name Viola.
Vitale Italian
From the given name Vitale.
Vitali Italian
From the given name Vitale.
Voltolini Italian
From the name of the alpine valley of Valtellina in Lombardy, northern Italy.
Zanetti Italian
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Giovanni. A famous bearer is Argentinian soccer player Javier Zanetti (1973-).
Zangari Italian
Southern Italian name, derived from Greek τσαγκάρης (tsankaris) meaning "shoemaker, cobbler".
Zappa Italian
From Italian zappa meaning "hoe, mattock", probably denoting a farmer. Two musicians of Italian origin have bore this name: Francesco Zappa (1717-1803) and Frank Zappa (1940-1993).
Zeni Italian
Means "son of Zeno".
Zini Italian
Derived from names such as Lorenzino, a diminutive of Lorenzo, or Vincenzino, a diminutive of Vincenzo.
Zino Italian
Derived from the given name Zino, a short form of names ending with -zino, such as Lorenzino, a diminutive of Lorenzo, or Vincenzino, a diminutive of Vincenzo.
Zunino Italian
Derived from the given name Giovanni.