Italian Surnames

Abano Italian
Originally denoted a person from the town of Abano, Latin Aponus, which was derived from the old Celtic root ab meaning "water".

Abatangelo Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Angelo.

Abatantuono Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Antonio.

Abate Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest", derived via Latin and Greek from an Aramaic word meaning "father". This was used either as a nickname or an occupational name for a worker in a priest's house.

Abategiovanni Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Giovanni.

Abatescianni Italian
From Italian abate meaning "abbot, priest" combined with the given name Gianni.

Abbà Italian
Variant of Abate.

Abbadelli Italian
Means "little abbot" from Italian abate and the diminutive suffix -elli.

Abbandonato Italian
Means "forsaken, abandoned" in Italian.

Abbascia Italian
Variant of Abatescianni.

Abbatangelo Italian
Variant of Abatangelo.

Abbatantuono Italian
Variant of Abatantuono.

Abbate Italian
Variant of Abate.

Abbatelli Italian
Variant of Abbadelli.

Abbaticchio Italian
Means "little abbot" from Italian abate and the diminutive suffix -icchio, from Latin -iculus.

Abbiati Italian
Originally a name for a person from the city of Abbiategrasso, near Milan in Italy, called Abiatum in Latin.

Abelli Italian
From the given name Abele.

Abrami Italian
Derived from the given name Abramo.

Abramo Italian
Derived from the given name Abramo.

Acardi Italian
Derived from the Norman name Achard, a form of Ekkehard.

Accardi Italian
Variant of Acardi.

Accardo Italian
Variant of Acardi.

Acciai Italian
Derived from medieval Italian accia meaning "axe", ultimately from Latin ascia.

Acciaio Italian
Variant of Acciai.

Acciaioli Italian
Variant of Acciai.

Acconci Italian
Variant of Acconcio.

Acconcio Italian
From the medieval Italian given names Accuntius or Acconcius, of uncertain meaning.

Accorsi Italian
From the given name Bonaccorso.

Accorso Italian
From the given name Bonaccorso.

Accursio Italian
From the given name Bonaccorso.

Acerbi Italian
From Italian acerbo meaning "bitter, harsh, severe".

Acone Italian
Possibly from the name of a harbour in Bithynia (in modern Turkey).

Acqua Italian
Means "water" in Italian, indicating one who dwelt by or transported water.

Acquafredda Italian
Denoted a person who came from one of the various places in Italy with this name, derived from Italian meaning "cold water".

Acquarone Italian
Meaning uncertain, possibly from a place name or an occupation derived from Italian acqua "water".

Acquati Italian
From the name of a village, part of the city of Lecco in Lombardy. Its name is presumably derived from Italian acqua "water".

Adami Italian
Means "son of Adamo".

Adamo Italian
Italian form of Adam.

Adamoli Italian
Diminutive form of Adami.

Addario Italian
Derived from the given name Addarius, of unknown meaning.

Adelardi Italian
Means "son of Adelardo".

Adesso Italian
Perhaps a nickname for a punctual or fast person, from Italian adesso meaning "now, at this moment".

Adimari Italian
Means "son of Ademaro".

Adriatico Italian
Originally denoted a person who lived near the Adriatic sea.

Affini Italian
From Latin affinis meaning "neighbouring, kindred".

Africani Italian
Means "son of Africano", the Italian form of Africanus.

Africano Italian
From the given name Africano, the Italian form of Africanus.

Agani Italian
Means "son of Agano", a given name of unknown meaning.

Aggio Italian
Possibly from the name Aggius, probably related to the Germanic name Agi.

Agli Italian
From place names like Agliè, Aglietti, Agliana and Agliate, all originating from the Latin name Allius or Alleius.

Agnelli Italian
From Italian agnello meaning "lamb" (ultimately from Latin agnus), denoting a pious or timid person.

Agnellini Italian
From a diminutive of Agnelli.

Agnusdei Italian
From Latin Agnus Dei meaning "lamb of God". This was a nickname for someone who was particularly religious or someone who wore this symbol.

Agosti Italian
Means "son of Agosto", a variant of Augusto.

Agostini Italian
Means "son of Agostino".

Agresta Italian
From Latin agrestis meaning "rural, rustic".

Agricola Italian
From Latin agricola meaning "farmer".

Aiello Italian
From various place names in Italy, such as Aiello del Friuli, Aiello del Sabato and others. They are derived from Latin agellus meaning "little field".

Aiolfi Italian
Means "son of Aiolfo", which is derived from the Germanic name Agilulf.

Airaldi Italian
Means "son of Aroldo".

Airò Italian
From the given name Aroldo.

Aita Italian
Originally denoted a person from Aieta, Italy, a place name derived from Greek ἀετός (aetos) meaning "eagle".

Ajello Italian
Variant of Aiello.

Alagona Italian
From the name of the Spanish region of Aragon, which was a medieval kingdom. The region was named for a river, which was itself derived from an Indo-European root meaning "water".

Alamanni Italian
From Alemannia, the Latin name for Germany.

Albanesi Italian
Originally indicated a person who came from Albania.

Albani Italian
Derived from the given name Albano.

Albano Italian
Derived from the given name Albano.

Alberghi Italian
Variant of Alberici.

Alberghini Italian
Diminutive of Alberghi.

Alberici Italian
Means "son of Alberico".

Alberighi Italian
Variant of Alberici.

Albero Italian
From Italian albero meaning "tree", ultimately from Latin arbor, referring to someone who lived in the woods or worked as a woodcutter.

Alberto Portuguese, Spanish, Italian
From the given name Alberto.

Albini Italian
Means "son of Albino".

Albricci Italian
Variant of Alberici.

Albrici Italian
Variant of Alberici.

Aldebrandi Italian
Means "son of Aldebrando", an Italian form of Aldebrand.

Alderisi Italian
Means "son of Alderissius", a Latinized form of a Germanic name of unknown meaning.

Alduino Italian
Derived from the Italian given name Alduino, derived from the Germanic name Aldwin.

Alemagna Italian
From Alemannia, the Latin name for Germany.

Aleppo Italian
From the name of the Syrian city of Aleppo, which is from Arabic خالاب (Khālāb), of uncertain meaning.

Alesci Italian
Means "son of Alessio".

Alescio Italian
From the given name Alessio.

Alesi Italian
From the given name Alessio.

Alesini Italian
Means "son of Alesino", a diminutive of Alessio.

Alesio Italian
From the given name Alessio.

Alessandri Italian
Means "son of Alessandro".

Alessi Italian
From the given name Alessio.

Alfero Italian
From the given name Adalfarus.

Aliberti Italian
Means "son of Alberto".

Alinari Italian
Means "son of Alinario", which is from the Germanic name Ellanher.

Aliprandi Italian
Means "son of Alibrand".

Allegri Italian
From an Italian nickname derived from allegro meaning "quick, lively".

Allegro Italian
Variant of Allegri.

Alò Italian
Variant of Aloi.

Aloi Italian
From a dialectal form of the name Aloisio.

Aloia Italian
Variant of Aloi.

Aloisi Italian
From the given name Aloisio.

Altamura Italian
From the name of the Italian city of Altamura, which means "high walls" in Italian.

Altimari Italian
Derived from the given name Altimaro, an alteration of Adelmar.

Altoviti Italian (Rare)
Derived from the Lombard given name Altwidus.

Alunni Italian
From Italian alunno meaning "student".

Amadei Italian
Means "son of Amadeo".

Amadori Italian
Means "son of Amatore".

Amalberti Italian
Means "son of Amalberto", from the Germanic name Amalbert.

Amantea Italian
From the name of a town in Calabria, Italy. It is possibly derived from Arabic (dating from the Arab raids of the 9th century) meaning "the fortress".

Amato Italian
From the given name Amato.

Amatore Italian
From the given name Amatore.

Ambrogi Italian
Means "son of Ambrogio".

Ambrosi Italian
Means "son of Ambrogio".

Amerighi Italian
Means "son of Amerigo".

Amoretto Italian
From a diminutive of the given name Amore.

Angioli Italian
Means "son of Angiolo".

Ansaldi Italian
Means "son of Ansaldo".

Anselmetti Italian
Means "son of Anselmetto", a diminutive of Anselmo.

Anselmi Italian
Means "son of Anselmo".

Anselmo Portuguese, Italian
From the given name Anselmo.

Antonelli Italian
Means "son of Antonello".

Antonini Italian
Means "son of Antonino".

Antonino Italian
From the given name Antonino.

Aquila Italian
From a nickname meaning "eagle" in Italian.

Aquino Italian, Spanish
From the name of an Italian town near Rome, derived from Latin aqua meaning "water", the home town of the 13th-century saint Thomas Aquinas. In Italy the surname is derived directly from the town's name. As a Spanish-language surname, it was sometimes bestowed by missionaries in honour of the saint as they evangelized in Spanish colonies.

Arbore Italian
From Latin arbor meaning "tree".

Ardiccioni Italian
Means "son of Ardiccione", a derivative of Ardito.

Ardizzone Italian
From a diminutive of the given name Ardito.

Ardovini Italian
Means "son of Arduino".

Arena Italian
Italian cognate of Arenas.

Arlotti Italian
Means "son of Arlotto".

Armando Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
Derived from the given name Armando.

Armani Italian
Means "son of Ermanno".

Armati Italian
From Italian armato meaning "armed, armoured, equipped".

Arnolfi Italian
Means "son of Arnolfo".

Arnoni Italian
Means "son of Arnone" from the medieval name Arnone, of uncertain origin.

Arrighetti Italian
Means "son of Arrighetto", a diminutive of the given name Arrigo.

Arrighi Italian
Means "son of Arrigo".

Arrigucci Italian
Means "son of Arriguccio", a diminutive of the given name Arrigo.

Avellino Italian
From the name of a town in Campania, Italy, called Abellinum in Latin, of unknown meaning.

Azzarà Italian
Sicilian name, derived from Greek dialects of southern Italy. It is from Greek ψαράς (psaras) meaning "fisherman".

Baggi Italian
Variant of Baggio.

Baggio Italian
Originally denoted a person from the Italian town of Baggio (now part of Milan). It is probably derived from Latin Badalocum meaning "watch place".

Baglio Italian
Italian cognate of Bailey.

Bagni Italian
From Italian bagno "bath", derived from Latin balneum, referring to a person who worked as a bath house attendant.

Bagnoli Italian
Diminutive form of Bagni.

Balboni Italian
Derived from the given name Balbino.

Baldi Italian
Derived from the given name Baldo.

Baldini Italian
Derived from the given name Baldino, a diminutive of Baldo.

Baldinotti Italian
Derived from the given name Baldinotto, from the Latin name Baldinoctus, a diminutive of Baldo.

Baldovini Italian
Derived from the given name Baldovino.

Ballerini Italian
From Italian ballerino meaning "dancer", an occupational name or nickname for someone who liked to dance.

Bandini Italian
From the Latin name Bandinus, a derivative of Bandus, which is of unknown meaning.

Bandoni Italian
From Italian bandone meaning "sheet of iron".

Barbieri Italian
Italian cognate of Barber.

Barone Italian
Italian cognate of Baron.

Barsotti Italian
Probably from the medieval Latin word baro meaning "man, freeman" (of Frankish origin).

Bartalotti Italian
Means "son of Bartalotto", a diminutive of Bartolo.

Bartolomei Italian
Derived from the given name Bartolomeo.

Bartolomeo Italian
Derived from the given name Bartolomeo.

Barzetti Italian
Variant of Barsotti.

Basile Italian, French
From the given name Basilio or Basile.

Bassanelli Italian
Diminutive form of Bassani.

Bassani Italian
Derived from the place name Bassano, belonging multiple villages in Italy.

Bassi Italian
Variant of Basso, common in northern Italy.

Basso Italian
Originally a nickname for a short person, from Latin bassus "thick, low".

Battaglia Italian
From a nickname meaning "battle" in Italian.

Bazzoli Italian
From Italian bazza meaning "protruding chin".

Bellandi Italian
Means "son of Bellando", from a medieval given name derived from Latin bellandus meaning "which is to be fought".

Bellandini Italian
Diminutive form of Bellandi.

Bellincioni Italian
Means "son of Bellincione", from a medieval name (borne for example by Dante's grandfather) that was probably a derivative of Italian bello "beautiful, fair".

Bellini Italian
From Italian bello meaning "beautiful".

Bello Spanish, Italian
Means "beautiful" in Spanish and Italian, originally a nickname for an attractive person.

Bellomi Italian
Variant of Bellomo.

Bellomo Italian
From a nickname derived from Italian bello "beautiful, fair" and uomo "man".

Belloni Italian
Augmented form of Bello.

Belluomo Italian
Variant of Bellomo.

Belmonte Spanish, Italian
From various place names in Italy and Spain meaning "beautiful mountain".

Bencivenni Italian
Means "son of Bencivenne", from the medieval name Bencivenga, a Tuscan variant of Benvenuto.

Benedetti Italian
From the given name Benedetto.

Benenati Italian
Means "son of Benenato", a given name derived from Latin bene "good, well" and natus "good".

Benetton Italian
Northern Italian variant of Benedetti.

Benini Italian
Means "son of Benino" from a diminutive of Bene or Beno, short forms of Benedetto.

Benizzi Italian
From the medieval given name Bonizzone.

Benvenuti Italian
Means "son of Benvenuto".

Berardi Italian
From the given name Berardo.

Bergamaschi Italian
Originally indicated an inhabitant of the city of Bergamo in Lombardy.

Berlusconi Italian
Probably from the Milanese word berlusch meaning "cross-eyed, crooked".

Bernardi Italian
From the given name Bernardo.

Berti Italian
Derived from the given name Berto.

Bertolini Italian
Derived from a diminutive of the given name Bertoldo.

Biagi Italian
Means "son of Biagio".

Biancardi Italian
Italian form of Blanchard.

Bianchi Italian
From Italian bianco meaning "white", originally given to a person who was white-haired or extremely pale.

Bianco Italian
Variant of Bianchi.

Bicchieri Italian
Means "drinking glasses" in Italian, referring originally to a person who made or sold them.

Biondi Italian
Means "fair-haired, blond" in Italian. This name was borne by the American swimmer Matt Biondi (1965-).

Biondo Italian
Variant of Biondi.

Boerio Italian
From Italian boaro meaning "cowherd".

Bologna Italian
From the name of the city of Bologna in northern Italy. It may derive from a Celtic word meaning "settlement".

Bonaccorsi Italian
From the medieval given name Bonaccorso.

Bonaccorso Italian
From the medieval given name Bonaccorso.

Bonaventura Italian
From the given name Bonaventura.

Bondesan Italian
Venetian name derived from the name of the town of Bondeno in northern Italy.

Bonomo Italian
Italian cognate of Bonhomme.

Borghi Italian
Locative origin, from the common place name Borgo meaning "village".

Borgia Italian
Italian form of Borja. This was the name of an Italian noble family who were influential during the Renaissance period.

Borgnino Italian
From a nickname derived from the Piedmontese dialect word borgno meaning "one-eyed". This was the real surname of American actor Ernest Borgnine (1917-2012).

Borgogni Italian
From the name of the French region of Burgundy (called Bourgogne in French), which is named after the Germanic tribe the Burgundians, meaning "people from the high land".

Bosco Italian
Means "forest" in Italian.

Bove Italian
Derived from an Italian nickname meaning "bull, ox".

Boveri Italian
Variant of Bove.

Brambilla Italian
Derived from the Italian town of Brembilla in Lombardy, itself named after the Brembo river.

Breda Italian
From the name of a town near Venice, possibly derived from a Lombardic word meaning "field".

Brioschi Italian
Derived from the town of Briosco, near Milan. It may be of Lombardic origin.

Brivio Italian
From the name of the town of Brivio in Lombardy. Supposed it derives from a Celtic word meaning "bridge".

Brunetti Italian
Diminutive of Bruno.

Bruno Italian, Portuguese
Means "brown" in Italian and Portuguese, a nickname for a person with brown hair or brown clothes. A famous bearer was the cosmologist Giordano Bruno (1548-1600).

Buffone Italian
Means "jester, joker" in Italian.

Bulgarelli Italian
Diminutive of Bulgari.

Bulgari Italian
Originally denoted a person who came from Bulgaria, which is named after the Turkic tribe of the Bulgars, itself possibly from a Turkic root meaning "mixed".

Buonarroti Italian
From the medieval Italian given name Buonarroto meaning "good increase". This was the surname of the Renaissance painter and sculptor Michelangelo (1475-1564).

Buono Italian
From a nickname meaning "good" in Italian.

Busto Spanish, Italian
From the name of towns in Spain and Italy, derived from Late Latin bustum meaning "ox pasture".

Caiazzo Italian
From the name of a city near Naples, originally Caiatia in Latin, a derivative of the given name Caius.

Caito Italian
Occupational name from Sicilian càjitu meaning "official, leader", ultimately from Arabic قاضي (qāḍī) meaning "judge".

Caivano Italian
From the name of the town of Caivano near Naples, derived from Latin Calvianum, derived from the Roman cognomen Calvus.

Calabrese Italian
Originally given to a person who came from the region of Calabria in southern Italy.

Calligaris Italian
From Late Latin caligarius meaning "shoemaker".

Calvo Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Means "bald" in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, from Latin calvus.

Campana Italian, Spanish
Occupational name from Late Latin campana meaning "bell", ultimately derived from the Italian region of Campania, where bells were produced.

Campo Spanish, Italian
Means "field" in Spanish and Italian.

Cantù Italian
From Cantù, an Italian town located in Lombardy, itself of uncertain origin.

Capello 1 Italian
From Late Latin cappa meaning "cloak, cape, hood". This was a name for one who made or wore cloaks.

Capello 2 Italian
Nickname for a thin person, from Italian capello meaning "a hair", ultimately derived from Latin capillus.

Capitani Italian
Occupational name meaning "captain" in Italian, ultimately from Latin caput "head".

Carbone Italian
From a nickname for a person with dark features, from Italian carbone meaning "coal".

Carboni Italian
Variant of Carbone.

Carideo Italian
Originally denoted someone from San Pietro di Caridà, a town in Calabria. The town's name may be derived from Greek χάρις (charis) meaning "grace, kindness".

Carlevaro Italian
Northern Italian variant of Carnevale.

Carnevale Italian
From an Italian nickname meaning "carnival", perhaps given to a festive person.

Caro Spanish, Italian
From Spanish and Italian caro meaning "beloved".

Carrara Italian
From the name of a city in Tuscany famous for its marble quarries. It is probably derived from Late Latin quadreria meaning "quarry".

Caruso Italian
Means "close-cropped hair" in Italian, also having the secondary sense "boy, young man".

Casale Italian
Italian cognate of Casal.

Cassano Italian
Indicated a person from any of the various towns named Cassano in Italy.

Catalano Italian
Italian form of Catalán.

Cattaneo Italian
Variant of Capitani used in Lombardy.

Cavalcante Italian
Derived from Italian cavalcare "to ride".

Cavallo Italian
Means "horse" in Italian, an occupational name for a horseman.

Cingolani Italian
From Cingoli, a town in the Marche region of Italy. It is derived from Latin cingo "surround, ring".

Cino Italian
From the given name Cino, a short form of names ending in cino.

Cipriani Italian
From the given name Cipriano.

Cisternino Italian
From the name of the town of Cisternino, near the city of Bari in southern Italy.

Clemente Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Clemente.

Coiro Italian
From Italian cuoio meaning "leather", ultimately from Latin corium. This was an occupational surname for a leather worker or tanner.

Cola Italian
From the given name Nicola 1.

Colombera Italian
From a derivative of Italian colomba "dove" indicating a house where doves were held.

Colombo Italian
Either from Italian colomba "dove" indicating a dove keeper, or from the given name Colombo, which is derived from the same word. This was the Italian surname of the 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus.

Columbo Italian
Variant of Colombo.

Como 1 Italian
From the given name Giacomo.

Como 2 Italian
From the name of the city of Como in Lombardy, the rival city of Milan during the Middle Ages. Its name may come from a Celtic root meaning "valley".

Confortola Italian
From the old Italian given name Conforto meaning "comfort".

Conti Italian
From the Italian noble title conte meaning "count", derived from Latin comes (genitive comitis) meaning "companion, attendant". It denoted a person who worked for a count or behaved like one.

Coppola Italian
From the name of a type of hat characteristic of Sicily and southern Italy. This surname indicated a person who wore or made these hats. A famous bearer is the filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola (1939-), as well as other members of his extended family also in show business.

Corleone Sicilian, Literature
From the name of the town of Corleone in Sicily, which is of uncertain meaning. This surname is well known from the novel The Godfather (1969) by Mario Puzo, as well as the films based on his characters. The story tells how Vito Andolini comes to America from Sicily, receiving the new surname Corleone at Ellis Island, and starts a criminal empire based in New York.

Corna Italian
Derived from the names of places in northern Italy, especially Lombardy, from a word that means "crag, cliff" in the Lombard dialect.

Corrà Italian
From a short form of the given name Corrado.

Corti Italian
From Italian corte meaning "court, yard".

Corvi Italian
Nickname derived from Italian corvo meaning "crow".

Costa Portuguese, Italian, Catalan
Means "riverbank, slope, coast" in Portuguese, Italian and Catalan, ultimately from Latin meaning "side, edge".

Costantini Italian
From the given name Costantino.

Costanzo Italian
From the given name Costanzo.

Cracchiolo Italian
Derived from Italian cracchiola, referring to a chicory-like vegetable.

Cremaschi Italian
From the name of the city of Crema in Lombardy, northern Italy.

Cremona Italian
From the Italian city of Cremona, south of Milan, in Lombardy.

Cremonesi Italian
From the name of the Italian city of Cremona in Lombardy.

Crespi Italian
Variant of Crespo.

Crespo Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Referred to a person with curly hair, from Latin crispus meaning "curly".

Croce Italian
Italian form of Cross.

Crocetti Italian
Italian diminutive form of Croce.

Cucinotta Italian
Derived from a diminutive of Italian cucina meaning "kitchen".

Cuocco Italian
Italian cognate of Cook.

Cuoco Italian
Italian cognate of Cook.

D'Agostino Italian
From the given name Agostino.

D'Ambrosio Italian
From the given name Ambrogio.

Damiani Italian
Derived from the given name Damiano.

D'Amore Italian
From the given name Amore.

D'Angelo Italian
Means "son of Angelo".

D'Antonio Italian
Means "son of Antonio".

Da Vinci Italian (Rare)
Means "from Vinci", a town near Florence. A famous bearer was the Italian artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).

De Angelis Italian
Means "son of Angelo".

De Campo Italian
Locative surname derived from place names called Campo (meaning "field").

De Felice Italian
Means "son of Felice".

De Filippis Italian
Means "son of Filippo".

De Fiore Italian
Means "son of Fiore".

De Laurentis Italian
Means "son of Lorenzo", a Latinized form of the given name.

De Lorenzo Italian
Means "son of Lorenzo".

De Luca Italian
Means "son of Luca 1".

De Palma Italian
Means "from the palm tree" in Italian.

De Rege Italian (Rare)
Italian variant of Rey 1.

De Santis Italian
Italian form of Santos.