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[Surname] Mazzocchi ...Italian name
by Sean Foglai (guest)
11/23/2004, 7:50 PM
A work associate of my wife's new last name ...I found a translation that means "a bunch, or bundle" and another that means "a club, as in a bat"

Any evidence either way ...Grazie!
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- Sagani (guest)
11/25/2004, 5:45 AM
Different derivation are possible since this surname comes from areas that are linguistically different (different dialects):
The area of PIACENZA (not far from MILANO)
The area of NAPLES (Southern Italy)
The regions ABRUZZO-MARCHE (close to southern Italy, not far from Rome).
The immigrants MAZZOCCHI to USA come mostly from the area of PIACENZA:
The name of two villages appears frequently in Ellis Site:
FARINI and BETTOLA.
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- Sagani (guest)   +2
11/24/2004, 11:14 AM
Apparently the origim of this surname is not very clear.
In Italy Mazzocchi is regional both in North o the country an in South, near Naples.
It is possible that it comes from a nickname like those mentioned or even from a dialect word: a venetian one: "mazoco" that is "head".
Another possibility is that this surname comes from an old latin name
"Mezochius", according to an italian site.
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- Jim Young (guest)   +1
11/24/2004, 4:39 PM
A suggestion I've read goes for the "club" theory. According to this explanation Mazocho (sic) or Mazochus (sic) began as a byname, either for a craftsman whose work involved the use of a hammer, or a militiaman whose weapon was a club. From some such person or persons descend the Mazzocchi. All speculation of course.
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- Sean Foglai (guest)
11/26/2004, 9:06 AM
Thank you both!Sean
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