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."
MollicaItalian Means "crumb, breadcrumb; soft inner part of bread" in Italian, a nickname for a physically small or unintelligent person, or perhaps someone considered kind and soft-hearted.
MonacoItalian Means "monk" in Italian, ultimately derived from Ancient Greek μοναχός (monakhós) "single, solitary" via Latin monachus. Could be a nickname for someone of monkish habits or appearance, a topographic name for someone living close to a monastery, or an occupational name for a servant employed at a monastery.
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 any of several places called Montalbano, including 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 From the name of a town in Agrigento, Sicily, perhaps meaning "open mountain" from monte "mountain" and aperto "open, unlocked".
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".
MontoneItalian nickname from montone "ram" (from Medieval Latin multo genitive multonis). Or a habitational name from any of numerous places called Montone ("big mountain").
MontoroSpanish, Italian A Spanish habitational name from any of the places called Montoro in particular those in Córdoba or Teruel provinces. Italian habitational name from any of the places called Montoro in particular Montoro Inferiore and Montoro Superiore in Avellino province.
MonzoItalian Possibly a variant of Monsu, which may be an occupational name for a cook, Calabrian munsu, or a nickname or title from Milanese monsu ‘sir’, ‘lord’, ‘gentleman’.
MorabitoItalian Ultimately from Arabic مُرَابِط (murabit) "holy man, one who preaches in the street; soldier stationed in an outpost", from which comes Sicilian murabitu "moderate, sober" and murabbiu "teetotal".
MoreschiItalian Nickname for a dark-skinned person, derived from the Medieval Latin word moro, actually from the Latin Maurus, meaning, "dark-skinned".
MorticelliItalian (Rare) Means "died small" in Italian, from morto "dead; died" combined with a diminutive suffix.
MoscatelliItalian The name Moscatelli has its origins in a type of grape called Moscatel. This grape has its origin in ancient Egypt or Greece, but it was in Italy that it became famous. Here the farmers that planted the grape became known as the Moscatelli.
MoscatoItalian Variant of the personal name Muscato, also Americanized spelling of Greek Moskatos, a metonymic occupational name for a grower of muscat grapes.
MoseleItalian Probably related to German Moser, derived from moos "moss, bog". Alternatively, could be related to the toponyms Mosa or Mosella, which are of Celtic origin.