Italian names are used in Italy and other Italian-speaking regions such as southern Switzerland. See also about Italian names.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
MaffioneItalian Possibly a derivative of the given name Maffeo. This surname is from the Puglia region of Barletta, southern Italy.
MagaldiItalian, South American Patronymic or plural form of the Old German personal name Magoald (from the elements megin, magan "strength, might, power" and wald "power"), or else a nickname from magaldo meaning "evil, wicked", which was derived from the personal name... [more]
MaggioItalian From a nickname or personal name from the month of May, maggio, from Latin Maius (mensis), from Maia, a rather obscure goddess of fertility, whose name is derived from the same root as maius "larger" and maiestas "greatness"... [more]
MaggioriItalian Recorded in many spelling forms including the 'base' form of Maggi, and the diminutives and double diminutives Maggiore, Maggiori, Di Maggio, Maggorini, and many others, this is an Italian surname of Roman (Latin) origins... [more]
MagnesiItalian Derived from the word "magnesia," which is an ancient term for a region in present-day Greece that was known for its deposits of magnesium and other minerals. The surname may have been given to someone who originated from this region or was associated with it.
MalatestaItalian Means "bad head" in Italian, a nickname for a stubborn or perhaps malicious person. It could have also indicated the bearer had a misshapen head. ... [more]
MalfattoItalian Means "badly made, shoddy; deformed" in Italian, possibly originating with the nickname Malefactus "ugly, injured". Cognate to French Malfait.
MameliItalian Possibly from latin surname Mamelius. A famous bearer was Goffredo Mameli, author of the italian national anthem.
ManacordaItalian Possibly means "bad heart", from Latin malus "bad" and cordis "heart".
ManagnielloItalian The name likely comes from the Italian word mangano, meaning "mangle" or "machine for pressing," referring to tools used in fabric and textile production, which were common in medieval Italy. The suffix "-ello" is a diminutive, which could imply that the name originally referred to a person who worked with or operated one of these machines, such as a cloth presser or laundry worker... [more]
ManaiItalian From Sardinian mannai "grandfather, grandmother".
ManeraItalian Either a habitational name from any of two places called Manera in the Italian provinces of Cuneo and Como, a nickname and perhaps a metonymic occupational name (from the dialect word manèra meaning "executioner's axe, cleaver" or from Italian manero "well-behaved, skilled"), or derived from the given name Mainiero (ultimately from Frankish Maginhari, composed of the Ancient Germanic elements magin "strength, might" and hari, heri "army").
ManganaroItalian occupational name from manganaro agent noun from Mangano (see Mangano) in any of its various senses. Manganaris and Manganaras are also found as Greek surnames.
ManganoItalian occupational name from mangano "mangle" (a device consisting of a pair of rollers used to press textiles and clothes) or "calender" (a similar device used in making paper). The term mangano also denoted a bucket elevator (used for raising water from a well) and any of various other devices including a catapult... [more]
MangialaglioItalian Means "eats garlic" in Italian, from mangia "to eat" and aglio "garlic". Possibly a nickname for someone known for heavily seasoning their food, or for having bad breath.
MangiaracinaItalian The Sicilian name for salpa, a kind of fish, from mangia "to eat" and racina "grapes".
MangiarottiItalian From an Italian nickname, possibly meaning "rat eater".
MangoneItalian habitational name from Mangone a place in Cosenza province. Or an occupational name for a merchant from Latin mango (genitive mangonis) "dealer, slave trader". Or possibly also from an ancient Germanic personal name (see Mangold ).
ManocchioItalian Meaning uncertain, possibly from Italian mano "hand" and occhio "eye", an elaboration of the surname Mano, or an altered form of malocchio meaning "evil eye".
ManzoniItalian Of uncertain origin: could be derived from a nickname given to those who raised and took care of bullock, or from the medieval terms manso or mansueto, denoting a gentle person.... [more]
MaranoItalian Habitational name from any of various places named with the Latin personal name Marius and the suffix -anu.
MarcheseItalian From the title of rank marchése "marquis" (in Italy the rank immediately below that of duke), probably applied as a nickname for someone who behaved like a marquis, or an occupational name for a servant in the household of a marquis... [more]
MarchesiniItalian Derived from the Latin word “marchese,” which means “marquis.” It is a title of nobility that was used in medieval Italy and referred to the leader of a march or border region. It likely refers to someone who was descended from or associated with a marquis or who held a similar position of authority in a border region.
MarchioneItalian Nickname from marchione ‘marquis’, from medieval Latin marchio, genitive marchionis, from Germanic marka ‘borderland’
MarengoItalian Habitational name from Marengo in Alessandria Province or Marengo-Talloria in Cuneo. From Maréngo, Marénco, meaning Of The Sea, Maritime (Medieval Latin Marincus from Mare ‘Sea’), which were often used as personal names or nicknames in the Middle Ages.
MarinettiItalian Variant of Marino. A famous bearer of this surname is Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (1876-1944), considered to be the founder of Futurism.
MarioItalian There's a popular character named Mario, and his brother, Luigi. Together; they're the Super Mario Bros. They've been very popular since the 80's and came out with the greatest games throughout the 90's, 00's, 10's, and 20's.
MartelloItalian Southern Italian: nickname for someone with a forceful personality, from Italian martèllo ‘hammer’ (Late Latin martellus), or a metonymic occupational name for someone who used a hammer in their work.
MartiranoItalian Likely a habitational surname from a place in Catanzaro province in the Calabria region of Italy.
MartireItalian from martire "martyr" probably a nickname for someone who had played the part of a Christian martyr in a religious play. However there was a Saint Martire and so the surname may be derived from a personal name.
MascheranoItalian Occupational name for maker of masks, derived from Italian mascherare meaning "to mask". The Argentine former soccer player Javier Mascherano (1984-) is a famous bearer of this name.
MaseratiItalian Most notably the Italian luxury car manufacturer Maserati, founded in Bologna, Italy all the way back in December 1914.
MassaItalian A habitational name from any of the various places named Massa (for example, Massa Lubrense or Massa di Somma, both in the Metropolitan City of Naples, or Massa d’Albe in the Province of L'Aquila), which were all named from the medieval Latin word massa, meaning ‘holding’ or ‘estate’.
MassaraItalian, Greek Either a feminine form of Massaro or from the equivalent occupational or status name in medieval Greek, (massaras meaning ‘peasant’ or ‘share cropper’) which is from the word massaria meaning ‘small farm’.
MassaroItalian Regional or archaic form of Italian massaio meaning "tenant farmer, share cropper".
MastrangeloItalian From Italian mastro "master, expert craftsman" combined with the given name Angelo.
MastrantonioItalian From the Italian title mastro meaning "master craftsman", combined with the given name Antonio. A famous bearer is American actress and singer Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (1958-).
MatareseItalian habitational name for someone from Matera (see Matera ) from materräisë a local adjectival form of the placename (in standard Italian materano).
MatassaItalian Occupational name for a producer of silk, from Sicilian matassa "hank", "skein", also the name of a type of silk (cf. Metaxas).
MeconeItalian (Modern, Rare) Giuseppe Meconi (Febuary 1860-April 21,1921) was born in San Massimo, Campbasso Province, Italy. Giuseppe arrived in Pennsylvania, United States in the late 1880s and married Elizabeth Magyar in 1885... [more]
MediciItalian Patronymic or plural form of Medico. Medici is the family name of one of Italy's most powerful families.
MedicoItalian Occupational name for a physician, Italian medico (Latin medicus, from medere "to heal").
MeloniItalian From Italian mela ("apple", from Latin malum) or melone ("melon", from Latin melopepo), both ultimately from Ancient Greek μῆλον (mêlon), meaning "apple", "fruit from a tree"... [more]
MendolaItalian topographic name for someone who lived by an almond tree or trees or a habitational name from any of the places called with the dialect term amendolamendula "almond almond tree" (see Amendola ). Compare Lamendola.
MerlinoItalian Either from the given name Merlino the Italian form of Merlin, a diminutive of Merlo, or for someone who came from Merlino in the Milano province.
MesinaItalian From Sardinian mesina "keg, small barrel", probably given as a nickname to someone with a round or fat build.
MessiItalian, Spanish (Latin American) Possibly from Italian messi meaning "messengers". Aamous bearer of this surname is Lionel Messi (born 1987-), an Argentinian footballer of Italian descent.
MezzadonnaItalian Means "half a woman" in Italian, from mezza "half" and donna "lady, woman".
MezzanotteItalian Means "midnight" in Italian, perhaps given to someone who was born at midnight.
MezzasalmaItalian From Italian mezza "half" and salma, an archaic term for a small unit of land, indicating that the bearer was not very wealthy. Salma also coincides with an Italian word meaning "corpse".
MinagroSicilian Minagro: A Sicilian surname, with Latin & Greek etymological origins. Min: from Latin minusculus/little or small — Agro: from both Latin agro/field & Greek αγρό agro/field
MinelliItalian Patronymic or plural form of Minello, a pet form of the personal name Mino, which is a short form of a personal name formed with the hypocoristic suffix -mino, such as Adimino, Giacomino, Guglielmino, etc.
MinervinoItalian a habitational name from either of two places, Minervino di Lecce or Minervino Murge, in the provinces of Lecce and Bari, which take their names from ancient temples dedicated to the Roman goddess Minerva.
MirabellaItalian, Sicilian Italian (Campania and Sicily): habitational name from Mirabella Eclano in Avellino or Mirabella Imbaccari in Catania, or from various places with the name Mirabello, all named from medieval Latin mira, "viewpoint", and bella, "beautiful"... [more]
MiragliaItalian From the Old Sicilian military title miraglia di mari meaning "admiral".
ModiglianiItalian Used by Sepharditic Jews, this surname comes from the Italian town of Modigliana, in Romagna. Famous bearers of this surname include painter Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920) and Nobel Prize in Economics recipient Franco Modigliani (1918–2003).
MolinaroItalian Occupational name for a miller, derived from Italian mulino meaning "mill".
MolinaroloItalian Probably from a person's occupation, with molino/mulino meaning "mill" in Italian. The second part may come from rullo, meaning "a roller" or "I roll."
MonacoItalian Nickname for someone of monkish habits or appearance, or an occupational name for a servant employed at a monastery, from Italian monaco "monk" (from Greek monachos "monk", "solitary").
MonetaItalian Possibly originating from a nickname given to those who lived near a temple dedicated to Juno Moneta. A famous bearer of this surname is Nobel Prize for Peace recipient Ernesto Teodoro Moneta (1833–1918).
MonetaItalian from moneta "money" probably applied as either a nickname for a rich man or as a metonymic occupational name for a moneyer or money lender.
MonopoliItalian Italian: habitational name from a place called Monopoli in Bari province from Greek monē polis ‘single town’.
MontalbanoItalian Habitational name from Montalbano di Elicona in northeastern Sicily (earlier simply Montalbano), Montalbano Jonico (Matera province), or the district of Montalbano in Fasano, Brindisi.
MontaleItalian From Latin mons ("mountain"), this surname was originally given as a nickname to people who lived on hills and mountains. A famous bearer of this surname is Italian poet and writer Eugenio Montale (1896-1981), winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1975.
MontaltoItalian, Portuguese Habitational name from any of various places called Montalto or Montaldo especially Montalto Uffugo in Cosenza province in Italy or from a place in Portugal called Montalto from monte "hill" and alto "high" (from Latin altus).
MontalvoPortuguese, Spanish, Italian Montalvo is a habitational Portuguese and Spanish surname that originated in the medieval period. It comes from the Spanish words monte, meaning "mount", and albo, meaning "white". The name was often given to families who lived near or on a white mountain or hill, and can be interpreted as "white mountain".
MontapertoItalian My father tells me this name means "open mountain." It seems to have come from a small area around Agrigento in Sicily, Italy.
MontecalvoItalian Habitational name from any of various places called Montecalvo ("bald mountain") especially Montecalvo Irpino in Avellino province, from the elements monte "mountain" and calvo "bald".
MontefioreItalian, Jewish Derived from Montefiore, which is the name of several places in Italy. For example, there is Castle Montefiore in the town of Recanati (province of Macerata), the municipality of Montefiore Conca (province of Rimini) and the municipality of Montefiore dell'Aso (province of Ascoli Piceno)... [more]
MonteleoneItalian From various place names, meaning "mountain lion", or "mountain of the lion".
MontesanoItalian From Italian monte meaning "mountain" and sano meaning "healthy".
MonteverdeItalian Habitational name from any of various places called Monteverde, for example in Avellino province, from monte meaning "mountain" + verde meaning "green".
MonteverdiItalian Derived from Italian monte meaning "mountain" and verdi meaning "green"; literally means "green mountain".