This is a list of submitted surnames in which the usage is Italian; and the description contains the keywords ruler or of or water.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
FiermonteItalian Meaning uncertain. It possibly consists of the medieval Italian given name Fiero and the Italian word monte meaning "mountain", which would give this surname the meaning of "Fiero's mountain".
FilosaItalian Southern Italian: Probably an occupational nickname for a fisherman, from Sicilian filuòsa ‘fishing net’. Also from the subphylum: Filosa. These are known as euglyphids, filose (which means stringy or thread-like), amoebae with shells of siliceous scales or plates, which are commonly found in soils, nutrient-rich waters, and on aquatic plants.
FiordeliseItalian (Rare) Derived from Italian fiordaliso "cornflower". In heraldry, however, fiordaliso is the Italian term for Fleur-de-lys, the symbol for the King of France (until the French Revolution). This surname either could have been ornamental, or could have referred to Italians loyal to the French Kingdom / Empire, even those among the king's guard.
FiorelliItalian The surname Fiorelli was first found in Bolgna (Latin: Bononia), the largest city and the capital of Emilia-Romagna Region. The famous University of Bolgna was founded in the 11th century, by the 13th century the student body was nearly 10,000... [more]
FontanarosaItalian Denoted a person who came from one of the various places in Italy with this name or similar, derived from Italian meaning "red fountain".
ForteItalian Means "strong" in Italian, either given as a nickname, or taken from the medieval given name Forte, derived from Latin fortis "strong, steadfast, brave"... [more]
FoschiItalian From Italian fosco "dark, murky (colour); gloomy", a nickname referring to the bearer's hair colour or mood. May also stem from the given name Fuscus, of the same meaning.
FragolaItalian apparently from fragola "strawberry" probably applied as either a topographic name for someone who lived by a patch of wild strawberries a metonymic occupational name for a grower or seller of soft fruits or a nickname for someone with a conspicuous strawberry mark.
FrancescoliItalian Variant form of Francesco. This name is borne by the former Uruguayan soccer star Enzo Francescoli (1961-).
FrancesconeItalian Ancient family of Navelli, which recognizes as its progenitor that Francis, called "Francescone", who, between 1227 and 1230, was awarded the title of Baron by Emperor Frederick II, for having juggled leveraging troops with success and honor in the Sixth Crusade.
FrascatoreItalian (Rare) Meaning uncertain. It is possibly derived from (or related to) Italian frasca meaning "bough, branch", which might possibly indicate that the surname had first started out as a nickname for someone who worked as a woodcutter or as a forester... [more]
FrescobaldiItalian Derived from the given name Frescobaldo. This was the name of a prominent Florentine noble family as well as Italian composer and virtuoso Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643).
FresiaItalian (Modern, Rare) The surname is the 202,062nd most commonly held family name internationally It is held by around 1 in 3,535,927 people. This last name is mostly found in Europe, where 71 percent of Fresia reside; 59 percent reside in Southwestern Europe and 59 percent reside in Italic Europe... [more]
FruscianteItalian Derived from the Italian adjective frusciante meaning "rustling, swishing, whishing", which itself is derived from the Italian verb frusciare meaning "to rustle, to swish, to whish". The surname had probably started out as a nickname for someone who made a rustling or whishing sound whenever they walked, which was probably caused by the clothes that they were wearing (in that the clothes must have been made of a certain fabric that is prone to making some noise when touched in any way).... [more]
FucciItalian From the plural of Fuccio, a short form of any of various personal names with a root ending in -f (as for example Rodolfo, Gandolfo) to which has been attached the hypocoristic suffix -uccio, or alternatively from a reduced form of a personal name such as Fantuccio, Feduccio.
FusiItalian Italian: of uncertain origin; it could be Greek, compare modern Greek Soyses, or alternatively, Caracausi suggests, of Arabic or Hebrew origin.
FusilloItalian From Italian fuso "spindle", referring to their occupation, or a nickname based on the bearer's build. Also the name of a type of pasta.
GaetaItalian Derived from the town of Gaeta, in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. It can also derive from the given name Gaetano which shares its origin.
GaglianoItalian Habitational name from any of several places in Italy, most of which derive from the Latin personal name Gallius (see Gallus). Alternatively, it could derive directly from the given name Gallius, or from a similar name such as Galianus or Galenus.
GalanteItalian, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Jewish Means "gallant, courteous, chivalrous; romantic" in Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, both derived from French galant "gentlemanly" or "flirtatious, amorous". In the case of Mordecai Galante, a Spanish exile in 16th century Rome, his courteous manners won for him from the Roman nobles the surname Galantuomo, meaning "gentleman" in Italian, from which Galante was eventually derived.... [more]
GallipoliItalian Possibly from the town of Gallipoli in Apulia, Italy, derived from Greek Καλλίπολις (Kallípolis) meaning "beautiful city", or perhaps denoted someone from Gallipoli (also Gelibolu) in Turkey, of the same etymology.
GalmariniItalian Galmarini is a common surname in the Lombardy region of Italy.
GambinoItalian from a diminutive of gamba ‘leg’, probably applied as a nickname for someone with short legs.
GarauItalian Possibly from a Sardinian modification of the given name Gherardo. Alternately, it may be from a Spanish surname derived from Basque garau "grain, wheat".
GasparrinoItalian (Tuscan) Gasparinus de Bergamo was a Italian Teacher who tutored The Future Popes of Italy and was a Secertary for Pope Martin V in the late 1400.
GemitoItalian From a misspelling of genito "to be born", given to sculptor Vincenzo Gemito upon being abandoned at an orphanage as an infant.
GenarroItalian The surname "Gennaro" has Italian origins and is commonly associated with the given name "Gennaro," which is derived from the Latin name "Ianuarius," meaning "January." The name is often linked to St... [more]
GenerosaItalian, Portuguese, Spanish Means "generous" in several languages, derived from Latin generosus "well-born, noble". It could also be from the given name Generoso, of the same origin.
GennarelliItalian Ancient and illustrious Piedmontese family, originally from Polonghera but residing in Cherasco, which is decorated with the titles of: Counts of Cocconato, Lords of Cocconito and Consignori of Marcorengo.
GenovaItalian habitational name from Genoa (Italian Genova) in Liguria which during the Middle Ages was one of the great seaports of the Mediterranean and a flourishing mercantile and financial center... [more]
GentilisItalian (Latinized) Latinized form of Gentili. The Italian-born Oxford professor and jurist Alberico Gentili (1552-1608) was known as Albericus Gentilis in Latin.
GermanottaItalian Possibly derived from a diminutive form of the feminine given name Germana. A famous bearer of the surname is singer Lady Gaga (Stefani Germanotta).
GerosaItalian Denoted someone from the town of Gerosa in Lombardy, or perhaps a nickname from geros (modern ghiaioso) "gravelly".
GessaItalian Possibly a variant of Chessa. Alternately, may be from a Sardinian term for "mulberry".
GhezziItalian Patronymic or plural form of a nickname from Old Italian ghezzo ‘dark’
GiacominimItalian Giacomini is a diminutive form of the Italian name Giacomo, equivalent to James. It suggests 'little Giacomo' or 'son of Giacomo'
GiamattiItalian (Anglicized) Americanized form of Giammattei. Famous bearers include brothers Paul Giamatti (1967-) and Marcus Giamatti (1961-), both American actors.
GiglioItalian From the personal name Giglio, from giglio "lily" (from Latin lilium), a plant considered to symbolize the qualities of candor and purity.
GilardiItalian Means "son of Gilardo", a rare Italian form of the Germanic given name Gerard.
GilioItalian Derived from a variant of the given name Giglio, which can be from an Italian form of Latin Aegidius, or else taken directly from the Italian word giglio meaning "lily".
GilliItalian Patronymic form of the personal name Gillio, a vernacular derivative of Aegilius, which itself is a later form of the given name Aegidius.
GioèItalian This is a short form of given name Gioele used as surname.
GioiaItalian Means "joy, delight" in Italian. Can derive from the given name Gioia, from a nickname, or from any of several toponyms in southern Italy.
GiornoItalian From a short form of the name Bongiorno and means "day" in Italian.
GioveItalian From Giove ("Jupiter") the name of the chief Roman deity perhaps a nickname for someone who habitually swore per Giove "by Jove". From Sicilian ggiòve iòvi "Thursday" applied as a personal name for someone born or baptized on that day of the week... [more]
GirondaItalian Possibly from a variant of Italian ghironda ‘barrel-organ’.
GiudiceItalian Occupational name for an officer of justice, Italian giudice " judge" (Latin iudex, from ius "law" + dicere "to say"). In some cases it may have been applied as a nickname for a solemn and authoritative person thought to behave like a judge.
GogliaItalian Nickname or a metonymic occupational name for a person who used leaves from a kind of plant to bind grafts, derived from the Italian dialectal goglia.
GonellaItalian From Italian gonnella "skirt", derived from Latin gunna "leather garment", in Old Italian referring to a unisex garment similar to a long tunic that probably originated as military garb... [more]
GonzagaSpanish, Portuguese, Italian (Archaic) Habitational name for someone from a location called Gonzaga in Mantua, Italy. This was the name of an Italian family that ruled Mantua from 1328 to 1708.
GorgaItalian Topographic name from Sicilian gorga, Catalan gorg(a) ‘place where water collects’, ‘mill pond’, ‘gorge’.
GraceffaItalian Meaning uncertain, possibly from a southern Italian place name in the comune of Aragona in the province of Agrigento, Sicily, Italy.
GranataItalian Granata is an Italian word for a shade of red (maroon), and the Latin name of the city of Granada.
GranatoItalian Means "having grains" in Italian, and "pomegranate (fruit, tree)" in archaic Italian, giving rise to the later meanings of "garnet (gemstone)" and "crimson"; ultimately derived from Latin granatus "having many grains"... [more]
GrandeSpanish, Italian, Portuguese Means "tall, large" in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, used as a nickname for a person of large stature.
GriffoItalian From grifo "gryphon" (Latin gryphus, Greek gryps, of Assyrian origin), hence a nickname for someone thought to resemble the mythical beast.
GuàrdiaCatalan, Spanish, Italian Catalan, Spanish, and Italian from Catalan guàrdia, Spanish and Italian guardia ‘guard’, ‘watch’, a topographic name for someone who lived by a watch place, an occupational name for a member of the town guard, or a habitational name from any of the numerous places named (La) Guardia.
GuardiaItalian, Spanish From Spanish and Italian guardia "guard watch" a topographic name for someone who lived by a watch place by a watchtower or a habitational name from any of numerous places called La Guardia named with the same word; or a metonymic occupational name for someone who kept watch or for a member of the town guard... [more]
GuarracinoItalian Nothing is known of this family name other then they grew up in Manhattan, New York, other states and cities too but most can from boats and had to be quertied at Ellis Island, New York
GuastiItalian Meaning uncertain, may denote someone from the town of Guasto. Alternately, it may be an occupational name from gastaldo "chamberlain", from Latin gastaldus "manager, bailiff, steward", or be a nickname from guasto "broken, crippled".
GucciItalian Patronymic or plural form of the given name Guccio, a late medieval Italian diminutive of various names ending in go, such as Arrigo (via Arriguccio) or Ugo (via Uguccio)... [more]
GucciardoItalian From the personal name Gucciardo, a revival of French Guichard, of Germanic origin, probably composed of the elements wig 'battle' or wisa 'experience' + hard 'strong', 'brave', 'hardy'.
ImbimboNeapolitan From Italian bimbo meaning "a child, a male baby" (which is a variant of bambino "child") combined with in-, a prefix indicating "belonging to the family of".
ImperatoItalian From the personal name Imperato from the past participle of imperare "to rule to command".
ImperialeItalian Derived from Latin imperialis meaning "imperial", either denoting someone of aristocratic lineage or a nickname for a haughty person.
ImperioliItalian Variant spelling of Imperiale. A famous bearer is American actor Michael Imperioli (1966-).
IngogliaItalian Means "belonging to the family of Goglia" in Italian, derived from the prefix in- meaning "belonging to the family of" combined with the name Goglia... [more]
InzaghiItalian Probably from the town of Inzago, near Milan. This surname is most famously borne by brothers Filippo (1973–) and Simone Inzaghi (1976–).
IppolitoItalian Italian: from the personal name Ippolito (classical Greek Hippolytos, composed of the elements hippos ‘horse’ + lyein ‘loose’, ‘release’). This was the name of various minor early Christian saints... [more]
IzzoItalian Possibly derived from the given name Ezzo (see Azzo), from an Italianized form of Germanic Hitz or Hilz (from hildiz "battle, fight"), or from a short form of any of several names ending with -izzo, such as Bonizzo, Obizzo, or Abizzo.
IzzoItalian Could be a nickname for someone of Arabic or Saracen heritage, or who had dark hair and skin, derived from archaic Italian izzo, ultimately from Ancient Greek Αἰγύπτιος (Aigyptios) "Egyptian"... [more]
JacarusoItalian An Italian surname from a compound of Ia- (from the personal name Ianni) and the southern Italian word caruso, which means ‘lad’ or ‘boy’.
JovonItalian Possibly related to the Ancient Roman cognomen Jovian, ultimately derived from the name of the god Jupiter.
LaghiItalian Possibly originated to denote someone from the Italian town of Laghi.
LagoItalian, Spanish, Portuguese Topographic name for someone living by a lake from lago "lake" (from Latin lacus) or a habitational name from any of the many places called with this word.
LaiItalian Possibly denoting someone from Alà dei Sardi, or derived from the given name Nicola 1. Alternately, it may derive from lai, a type of lyrical poem.
LaicoItalian Means that is not part of the Catholic Church.
LamalfaSicilian Variant of Malfa, most probably a habitational name for someone from Malfa on the island of Salina (Messina), although the name has also been linked with Amalfi in Salerno and Melfi in Potenza.
LanciaItalian From Latin lancea, meaning "spear", given to those who made, sold or used spears. A famous bearer of this surname is Vincenzo Lancia (1881-1937), who established the Lancia car brand in 1906.
LaneseItalian Habitational name from a place called Lana from an adjectival form of the placename.
LasagnaItalian From Italian (lasagna) denoting a popular Italian dish made of stacked layers of thin flat pasta alternating with fillings such as ragù and other vegetables, cheese, seasonings and spices.
LatellaItalian Possibly derived from the Calabrian word tella or tiella, meaning "baking tray, pan", ultimately from Latin tegula "tile". Alternatively, it could be a habitational name from the town of Atella.
LatinoItalian From the medieval personal name Latino, originally an ethnic name for someone of Latin as opposed to Germanic, Byzantine or Slavic descent.
LeddaItalian, Sardinian Probably from the former Medieval town of Lella, in northern Sardinia. The transformation of -ll- into -dd- is common in Sardinian.
LeggioItalian From Sicilian leggiu "light, not heavy; superficial", a nickname for someone considered unreliable or irresponsible. Variant of Leggièri.
LegoreItalian (Americanized, ?) Possibly related to the Italian surname Legori, derived from a Lombard dialect form of lepre "hare". However, Legore is not attested in Italian records.
LeopardiItalian From the medieval given name Leopardus. A famous bearer of this surname is Giacomo Leopardi (1798-1837), one of the most influential Italian poets.
LeottaItalian Derived from the given name Leotta, an Italian pet form of Leo.
LibuttiItalian Composed of the definite article li and dialect butti "barrels".
LicursiItalian Of Albanian origin, either an occupational name for a tanner from lëkurë "skin, leather", or a habitational name.
LiistroItalian From Sicilian lijistru "privet", a kind of shrub or small tree.
LiottaItalian Variant form of Leotta. A famous bearer was American actor Ray Liotta (1954-2022).
LizziItalian Derived from the given name Lizio, itself from Latin Litius, a variant form of Lydius (see the more common feminine form Lydia).
LobiancoItalian Means "the white one", a variant of Bianco using the definitive article lo.
Lo GuastaItalian Variant of Guasti, literally "the broken". Probably used as a nickname for someone with a twisted or deformed limb, used in at least one case for a foundling.
LoiaItalian Most likely a variant of Aloia. May alternately be related to Italian loggia "atrium, open-roofed gallery", Greek λεώς (leos) "the people", or Tuscan loia "dirt, filth on clothes or skin", perhaps a nickname for someone with a profession that often made them dirty, such as mining.
LotfiItalian Italian: patronymic or plural form of the personal name Lotto .
LovatoSpanish (Latin American), Italian Northern Italian from the Late Latin personal name Lupatus, derivative of Latin lupus "wolf". This is one of several medieval personal names which became popular under the influence of Germanic compound personal names formed with wolf-.
LoveraItalian, Spanish Either a topographic name from lovera "wolf pack" or "wolves’ lair" or a habitational name from a place called Lovera. Spanish variant of Lobera.
MaattaItalian 1 Southern Italian: from a feminine form of Matto .... [more]
MaccaroneItalian from maccaroni "macaroni" (or in northern Italy "gnocco") perhaps applied as a metonymic occupational name for a maker of pasta or in the North as a nickname for a silly or foolish person.
MacchiaItalian Topographic name from Italian macchia "thicket, scrub, brush" (from Latin macula "spot, fleck, stain") as well as a habitational name from any of various places named Macchia... [more]
MacchiariniItalian Possibly a variant of Macchia, or else derived from the related macchiare "to stain, mark, blot" combined with a plural form of the diminutive suffix -ino.
MacchioneItalian Originally from the south of italy (Calabria or Sicily), from an augmentative of Macchia (stain), in some cases, a habitational name from various places so named in Campania and Puglia.
MacorigItalian Patronymic from a shortened form of Ermacora, an Italian form of the Greek given name Hermagoras combined with the Slavic patronymic suffix -ic.
MacriItalian Italian variant of Magro. It could also be a southern Italian nickname for a person who had long limbs or who was tall, derived from Greek μακρύς (makrýs) literally meaning "long, tall" (see Makris)... [more]
MaddaloniItalian It should came from the toponym Maddaloni (Campany, South Italy) which name originates from the Arabic term "magdhal" meaning fortress, stronghold. The last name Maddaloni is typical of the area that includes the provinces of Naples, Caserta and Benevento.
MadedduItalian Possibly a variant of Madau "sheepfold". Alternately, may derive from a Sardinian variant of Amato "beloved", or from the Latin cognomen Metellus "hired servant".
MadoniaItalian Habitational name from any of numerous places named Madonia, or a regional name for someone from Madonie in Sicily.
MadonnaItalian From the person name Madonna, from donna meaning "lady", bestowed in honor of the Virgin Mary.
MaffessantiItalian Meaning is overall unknown, but might come from Saint of Matthew. In Italian the name “Maffeo” is an Italian spelling of Matthew and “Santi” means saints, so combined it would be Maffessanti... [more]
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.
MaimeriItalian Surname of italian painter and entrepreneur Giovanni (Gianni) Maimeri.
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]
MameliItalian Possibly from latin surname Mamelius. A famous bearer was Goffredo Mameli, author of the italian national anthem.
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]
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]
MangiaracinaItalian The Sicilian name for salpa, a kind of fish, from mangia "to eat" and racina "grapes".
ManoItalian From the given name Mano, a short form of names such as Romano.
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.
MarcantonioItalian Ancient family, called Marcantonio or Di Marcantonio, of clear and ancestral virtue, flourished in Abruzzo.
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.
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.
MaroniItalian Can be a nickname derived from Italian maroni "balls, bollocks", from the Latin given name Maronius, or from a diminutive of the Germanic-origin name Ademaro... [more]
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.
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".
MastrorilliItalian Derived from Italian mastro "master; expert craftsman" and a patronymic form of the given name Iorio.
MatareseItalian habitational name for someone from Matera (see Matera ) from materräisë a local adjectival form of the placename (in standard Italian materano).
MatassaItalian Means "hank, skein, coil" in Italian and Sicilian, derived from Ancient Greek μέταξα (metaxa) via Latin mataxa "raw silk; thick string, thread", an occupational name for a silk merchant (compare Metaxas)... [more]