RispoliItalian A patronymic from a derivative of the given name Rispo, which is probably of Germanic origin. Alternatively, it could be a variant of Ruspoli, which is of unknown origin.
RitaccoItalian Probably a derivative of Rito, a masculinized form of the female personal name Rita.
RivabellaItalian Derived from the Italian word riva meaning "bank (shore, riverbank, lakebank)" (from Latin ripa) and bella meaning "beautiful"... [more]
RoascioItalian (Rare) Derived from Roascio, the name of a municipality in the province of Cuneo in the Piedmont region of Italy. The meaning of the municipality's name is uncertain, but since it is located in Piedmont and known as Roass in the Piedmontese language, the etymological origin of the name is most likely Piedmontese... [more]
RoasioItalian This surname originates from the Piedmont region of Italy. It is most likely derived from Roasio, which is the name of a municipality in that same region. The meaning of the municipality's name is uncertain, but since it is located in Piedmont and known as Roaso in the Piedmontese language, the etymological origin of the name is most likely Piedmontese... [more]
RondelliItalian, English, French From the medieval name "Rondello" derived from French "rondel" meaning "go around, round" or "rondel", a French old nickname for a round, plump man.
RoppoloItalian Perhaps a derivative of Roppo, a given name of Germanic origin.
RosanoItalian rosa meaning pink. Could also be indicative of a location known for or possessing roses.
RubinoItalian The surname Rubino derives from the name Rubino, in turn originated from the Latin term "Rubeus" (red) with evident reference to the well-known precious stone. It is thought that originally the surname was attributed to the physical characteristics of having red hair, however, the origin of the surname Rubino from the Hebrew term "Ruben" which meant "son of providence", or even from the apheresis of the name "Cherubino".
RucciItalian Patronymic from the personal name Ruccio, from a short form of various pet names formed with this suffix, as for example Gasparuccio (from Gaspari) or Baldassaruccio (from Baldasare).
RuffaloItalian Variant spelling of Ruffolo. A famous bearer is American actor Mark Ruffalo (1967-).
SaccenteItalian Nickname from medieval Italian saccente "wise".
SacoItalian There are several possible derivations for the Saco surname: the Saco name evolved from an old Tuscan personal name, Saccus; it came from the word "sacco" meaning "a sack," and was an occupational name for a maker of sacks or bags; it was a habitational name taken on from the place named Sacco in Salerno province.
SalussoliaItalian, Piedmontese Originally denoted a person from Salussola, a comune (municipality) in the province of Biella in Piedmont, Italy.
SalvatoreItalian Derived from the Italian masculine given name Salvatore, which in turn was derived from the Italian noun salvatore meaning "saviour, rescuer"... [more]
SanfelippoItalian Italian (mainly Sicily and southern Calabria): habitational name from any of several places so named for a local church or shrine dedicated to St. Philip, in particular San Filippo del Mela in Messina province.
SanfilippoItalian, Sicilian habitational name from any of several places called with reference to a local church or shrine dedicated to Saint Philip specifically San Filippo del Mela in Messina province San Filippo near Reggio Calabria.
SantiItalian (Latinized, Archaic) Santi is a surname of Christian inspiration and it means Son of Santo (Saint). It also has a second meaning in plural that is Santos (Saints). Santi is a last name that comes from Piedmont (northern Italy)... [more]
SardEnglish, French, Spanish, Italian In the book surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary by Henry Harrison and Gyda (Pulling) Harrison 1912 - Reprinted 1996. The Sard surname (which has been in England, Italy and Europe for a long time) is defined thus on page 136.... [more]
SardaItalian From the feminine form of Sardo or from sarda "large sardine" either a nickname or occupational name for selling sardines.
SardellaItalian From sardella "sardine" used as either an occupational name for a fisher or seller of sardines or a nickname for a thin person.
SardinaItalian, Spanish, Galician From sardina Galician sardiña "sardine" used for someone as a catcher or seller of the fish or a nickname for a thin person.
SardoneItalian Augmentative of Sarda or Sardo "the big Sardinian". in the central and southern Adriatic region from sardone "anchovy".
SarracinoItalian From Neapolitan sarracino, meaning "Saracen", a term used to refer to a variety of ethnic and religious groups, including a nomadic people from Sinai, Muslims, and pirates from the Mediterranean.
SavelliItalian It could derive from the Sabelli (ancient Italic tribe), pre-Roman population, or from toponyms such as Savelli di Norcia (PG) and indicate the origin of the founder.
ScafataItalian Possibly denoting someone from the Italian town Scafati, from Latin scapha "skiff, light boat". Alternately, may be from Italian scafare "to husk peas", either literally referring to someone's occupation, or from the figurative meaning of "to make more confident; alert, shrewd".
ScagliettiItalian The name of an Italian coachbuilder, with one of its famous customers being Ferrari when it doesn't want a design from Pininfarina.
ScaglioneItalian Derived from scaglione meaning "stallion’s canine tooth" (an augmentative form of scaglie meaning "canine tooth", from Old French escaillon meaning "horse’s tooth"), presumably a nickname for someone with exceptionally large teeth.
ScalaItalian, Greek Habitational or topographic name from any of various places named with scala, "ladder", "steps", "wharf".
ScaliaItalian Habitational name derived from Scalea in the province of Cosenza, deriving ultimately from medieval Greek skaleia meaning "hoeing".
ScanagattaItalian Probably means "cat killer", from Italian scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and gatto "cat", with the figurative meaning of "cheat, scoundrel". (Compare Pelagatti)... [more]
ScanarottiItalian Meaning uncertain, possibly a nickname given to a boastful person.
ScanavaccaItalian Possibly an occupational name for a butcher, from scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and vacca "cow".
ScanavinoItalian Meaning uncertain, possibly related to scanalare "to cut a groove, to plough" and vino "wine".
ScannabissiItalian Possibly from scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and biscio "snake". Alternately, the first element may be from an archaic form of zanna, "tooth (of an animal)".
ScannadinariItalian (Rare) Taken from the Italian scanna meaning "slaying" and dinari meaning "money" in the plural form. Therefore, killer of money.
ScannapiecoItalian Occupational name for a butcher, from scannare "to slaughter, to cut the throat of" and piecuro "sheep, lamb".
ScannellaItalian Possibly from Italian scannellare "to channel, to cut a groove", itself from Latin scamnum "ridge (of earth formed by plowing)".
ScarcellaItalian From Italian "scarcella", a dessert enjoyed during Easter from the Italian region of Apulia.
ScarduzioItalian From the Italian verb scardare, meaning to husk a hazelnut or chestnut. Possibly a metaphor for a sculptor who 'husked' a sculpture from stone.
ScarlatoItalian Occupational name for a dyer, or as a nickname for someone who habitually wore scarlet or who had bright red hair, From Sicilian scarlatu "scarlet".
SchiazzaItalian From chiazza "stain, blot", perhaps given to someone with a prominent birthmark. Might also from a regional dialect, meaning "piazza, town square".
ScimiaItalian From an archaic form of Italian scimmia "monkey", from Ancient Greek σιμός (simos) "snub-nosed". Has figurative meanings of "drunk" and "imitator, mimic, aper".
ScognamiglioItalian Literally "millet thresher", probably from the Neapolitan verb scugnà ("to thresh") and miglio ("millet"), denoting cereal threshers.
ScorfanoItalian Was in the Disney + Original Movie, Luca. "Alberto Scorfano"
ScornavaccheItalian Possibly deriving from Italian words scorno meaning shame, and vacca meaning cow. Sicilian variant of Scornavacca.
ScorranoItalian Denotes someone from Scorrano, Italy. Coincides with scorrano "to run, to flow".
ScorseseItalian From a nickname that indicated a person who came from Scotland, derived from Italian scozzese literally meaning "Scotsman, Scottish". This spelling arose from a transcription error of the surname Scozzese... [more]
ScottoItalian Either an ethnic name for someone from Scotland or Ireland from medieval Italian scotto or scoto meaning "Scot", making it a cognate of Scott, or from a diminutive of given names ending in sco such as Francesco (via its diminutive Francescotto) or Maresco (via Marescotto).
ScuderiSicilian Patronymic form of Scudero, a status name equivalent to English Squire, from scudero "shield-bearer", Latin scutarius, an agent derivative of scutum "shield"... [more]
ScurtiItalian Possibly from Neapolitan curto "short".
SecchiItalian Probably related to Italian secco "thin, dry". May alternately derive from secare "to cut", Sardinian seghi "sixteen", segete "harvest, harvest fodder", or a shortened form of seneche "old, aged".
SeddaItalian From a place name in Sardinia, meaning "top of a mountain". May alternately derive from Sardinian sedda "saddle", indicating the bearer's occupation.
SeditaItalian From Italian sei "six" + dita, plural of dito "finger", hence a nickname either for someone having six fingers or metaphorically for someone who was very dextrous.
SegaleEnglish, Italian Respelling of SEGAL. A famous bearer is Mario A. Segale, the inspiration for Nintendo's video game character Mario
SelvaCatalan, Italian From any of various places in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, or northern Italy named Selva, as for instance the Catalan district La Selva, from selva "wood", Latin silva.
SemenzaItalian From semenza ‘seeds’ possibly used for a seed merchant.
SenatoreItalian status name from senatore "senator" (from Latin senator) or a nickname for a stately or perhaps pompous man.
SferrazzaItalian Occupational name for a scrap-metal merchant, from a derivative of Sferro in the sense ‘old and broken iron’. Habitational name from the district of Paternò in Catania, Sicily.
SforzaItalian Derived from the Italian verb sforzare meaning "to force, strain"; also compare the related word forza "force, strength". This was the surname of a dynasty of Milanese dukes, which held power in the 15th and 16th centuries.
SiddiItalian From the name of a municipality in Sardinia, possibly deriving from Vulgar Latin casilli "huts, farmhouses".
SidduItalian From Sardinian siddu "seal, brand", or the related siddai/re "to seal, to tighten", from which come the phrases 'siddai is dentis' "to grit one's teeth" and 'siddàu siast ingùnis' "may you be sealed there", the latter of which would have been affectionately said to a child that wouldn't stay still.
SignoreItalian from the medieval personal name Signore (from Latin senior "senior elder" genitive senioris). from signore ‘lord’ hence a derisive nickname for a peasant who gave himself airs and graces or an occupational name for someone in the service of a great lord... [more]
SinatraItalian Comes from a personal name in Sicily and souther Calabria. The name was apparently in origin a nickname from Latin senator member of the Roman senate, Latin senatus, a derivative of senex ‘old’... [more]