AccettaItalian From the female form of southern Italian Accetto, a medieval personal name from the Latin name Acceptus (from acceptus 'welcome', 'well-liked').
AdornoSicilian Means "honey buzzard" in the Calabrian dialect, a nickname given to someone with a hawklike appearance, or an occupational name for a falconer.
AlbaneseItalian Southern Italian : ethnic name from albanese ‘(an) Albanian’, applied to someone from Albania or from one of the Albanian settlements in Abruzzo, Apulia, Campania, and Sicily.
AlfieriItalian From Italian alfiere "standard-bearer, ensign", ultimately from Arabic فارس (al-faris) "horseman, rider; knight, cavalier". May alternately derive from the Germanic given name Adalfarus, meaning "noble journey".
AmanteItalian, Spanish, Portuguese The name "Amante" means "lover" or "beloved". It can also be used as a nickname for someone who is a lover or enthusiast.
AmaraItalian Meaning bitter, unhappy or unfortunate.
AmendolaItalian Southern Italian: habitational name from any of several places in southern Italy named Amendola or Mendola, named with the dialect word amendola 'almond', 'almond tree' (from Greek amygdalea), or a topographic name for someone who lived by an almond tree or trees.
AmicoItalian Means "friend, companion" in Italian, possibly given as a nickname, but more likely derived from the given name Amico, or perhaps a short form of Bonamico.
AmistadiItalian From the Old Italian word amistade meaning "friendship", possibly given as a nickname, or taken from a personal name.
AngeloItalian From a popular medieval personal name, Angelo, Latin Angelus, from Greek angelos "messenger, angel" (considered as a messenger sent from God).
AngeloniItalian Means "great angels" in Italian. It derives from Biblical Latin angelus meaning "angel", ultimately from Ancient Greek angelos, originally meaning "messenger", changing meaning in the Bible.
AnnarummaItalian Probably derived from a regional variant of the feminine given name Annadomenica, the second element deriving from a short form of Rummeneca, a Neapolitan variant of Domenica.
AntoliniItalian The family originated from Sarnano (Macerata) and at the end of the century XVII transplanted to Montealbodo today Ostra (Ancona) where it was aggregated to that nobility.
ApicellaItalian Possibly derived from a diminutive of Italian ape "bee", an occupational name for a beekeeper, or perhaps a nickname for an industrious person. Alternatively, it could derive from the Latin cognomen Apicius.
ApolloItalian, Spanish From the Greek personal name Apollo. There are several saints Apollo in the Christian Church, including an Egyptian hermit and monastic leader who died in 395 ad. The personal name derives from the name in classical mythology of the sun god, Apollo, an ancient Indo-European name, found for example in Hittite as Apulana "god of the gate" (from pula "gate", cognate with Greek pylē), therefore "protector, patron".
AràbiaItalian, Spanish Ethnic name for someone from Arabia or some other Arabic-speaking country or a nickname for someone who had visited or traded with one of these countries.
AraldiItalian Means “heralds” in Italian. Famous bearers include Italian painters Alessandro Araldi (c. 1460 – c. 1529) and Paolo Araldi (18th century – after 1820).
ArceriItalian From Italian arciere "archer, bowman". May alternately be from a place name, such as Arcera.
ArcidiaconoItalian Means "archdeacon", denoting someone who worked for or was related to an archdeacon.
ArditiItalian The heraldic tradition has it that this illustrious family, called Ardito or Arditi, is the same one that flourished in Lombardy with the name of Conti, and that, transplanted in the Neapolitan with the Lombard hostages taken by the emperor Federico II, left that name, changing it.
ArgentoItalian Means "silver" in Italian, originally used as an occupational name for a silversmith or a nickname for a person with gray hair.
ArgenzianoItalian Derived from a diminutive of the given name Argenzio, ultimately from Latin argenteus meaning "silver". A famous bearer was American actor Carmen Argenziano (1943-2019).
ArlottaSicilian From the French personal name Arlot, recorded in the Latinized form Arolottus from the 13th century.
ArmellinoItalian Italian: of uncertain origin; possibly from a masculinized form of Armellina, an old female personal name derived from Latin animula, a diminutive of anima ‘spirit’, ‘soul’.
ArmeniaItalian, Catalan, Spanish, Portuguese Ethnic name or regional name for someone from Armenia or who had connections with Armenia. This surname is derived from the feminine form of Armenio, which is ultimately from Greek Αρμένιος (Armenios) meaning "Armenian"... [more]
AscencioSpanish, Italian From the personal name (Latin Ascensius), favored by the early Christians, by whom it was bestowed with reference to the ascension of Christ (Late Latin ascensio).
AsnicarItalian From Cimbrian haazo "hare" and ékke "hill, rise".
AstoreItalian Derived from Italian astore meaning "goshawk", an occupational name for a falconer, or a nickname for a person who had aquiline features or who was cunning by nature.
AugelloItalian Italian (Campania) dialect variant of Uccello ‘bird’, hence either a nickname for a diminutive, birdlike person or an occupational name for a fowler. Compare Auciello.
AvalloneItalian Topographic name for someone who lived in a deep valley.
AvaraItalian Feminine form of Italian avaro, meaning "miser" or "mean, stingy, avaricious".
AvenaItalian, Spanish Means "oats" in Spanish and Italian, an occupational surname for a grain grower or merchant. It can also be a toponymic surname derived from Avena, Calabria.
BaccellieriItalian From baccelliere "batchelor", a title for a young knight, or a university disciple who had studied Canon Law for 5 years and Civil Law for 7 years.
BacigalupoItalian From Ligurian bacigare "to beat with a stick" and lupo "wolf", or from Genoese basigâ "to swing, to tease" and lupo "wolf". Possibly a nickname for someone considered courageous or cowardly, or an occupational name for a hunter.
BaffaItalian The origins of this surname are uncertain, but it may be from Italian baffo "mustache", with the Latinate feminine suffix probably due to the influence of the word famiglia "family". Alternatively it may be Albanian in origin, of unexplained meaning.
BaggettafItalian Baggetta is an Italian surname, likely a diminutive of Baggio, linked to places in Italy
BaioItalian From a nickname for someone with light brown or reddish-brown hair or beard, from baio meaning "bay horse", ultimately derived from Late Latin badius meaning "red-brown".
BalistreriSicilian Means "archer, crossbowman" or "crossbow maker" in Sicilian.
BalmaItalian Perhaps a topographic name from the dialect word balma meaning ‘grotto’, ‘cave’, ‘jutting rock’.
BalsanoGerman (Austrian), Italian The roots of the distinguished surname Balzano lie in Austria. The name derives itself from "Balthasar," the name of one of the three Magi who followed the star to Bethlehem, and was popular as both a first name and a family name during the 18th century.... [more]
BandiItalian Derived from Late Latin Bandus itself from the Germanic band and the Latin banda, all meaning "sign, emblem, banner". It can also derive from the Italian word bando meaning "announcement" from the Germanic bann.
BandieraItalian from bandiera "banner flag" hence presumably a status name for a standard bearer. Italian cognate of Banner.
BarattoItalian From Italian baratto "barter, exchange, swap", likely used for a merchant.
BarbagelataItalian Named after the hamlet of Barbagelata, located in the commune of Lorsica, Genoa, Liguria, Italy. The name possibly means "cold beard", as it derives from "barba" (beard) and "gelata" (female form of cold).
BarberaItalian Feminine form of Barbero, perhaps denoting a barber’s wife. Alternatively, it could derive from the name of a kind of grape from the Piemonte region.
BaresiItalian Variant of Barrese. A famous bearer is Franchino "Franco" Baresi (1960-), as well as his brother Giuseppe Baresi (1958-), both former Italian soccer players.
BarileItalian From Italian barile "barrel" either an occupational name for a Cooper or a nickname for a fat man.
BarillaItalian Occupational name from medieval Greek barellas "cooper" from Italian barella "barrel" with the suffix (e)as.
BarnoItalian, Ukrainian, French, Ancient Aramaic, Russian The surname Barno was first found in the north of Italy, especially in Tuscany. The name occasionally appears in the south, usually in forms which end in "o," but the northern forms ending in "i" are much more common... [more]
BarracoItalian Meaning uncertain, possibly from Arabic بَرَّاق (barraq) "shining, lustrous".
BarreseItalian, Sicilian Denoted a person from any of the various minor places named Barra in southern Italy (for example the large district in the eastern part of Naples), derived from Italian barra meaning "barrier, bar, obstacle".
BartolottaItalian Bartolotta was the name taken by the followers of Saint Bartholomew. Bartholomew was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus. He is credited as bringing Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century.
BascianiItalian The surname Basciani derives from a nickname probably given to the family of origin (from the Latin "Bassus"), for the probable short stature of some components, although the derivation from the Campania family "Bassus" is not excluded.
BelfioreItalian Means "beautiful (as a) flower", derived from Italian bel "beautiful" combined with Italian fiore "flower". Two Italian sources claim that this surname was derived from the medieval masculine given name Belfiore (which has of course the same meaning), but I can find no evidence that this was an actual given name in medieval Italy... [more]
BellinoItalian Means "pretty, sweet, cute" in Italian, a diminutive of Bello. It can originate as a nickname, or derive from the medieval given names Bellina or Bellinus... [more]
BenantiItalian From a derivative of Bene, a short form of the various omen names formed with this element (from Latin bene ‘well’), such as Benedetto, Benvenuto, etc.
BenelliItalian The distinguished surname Benelli originated in an area of Italy, known as the Papal States. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adapt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent... [more]
BenigniItalian Patronymic form of Benigno. A notable bearer is the Italian actor and comedian Roberto Benigni (1952-).
BernasconiItalian The surname of BERNASCONI is of Italian origin, a locational name meaning the dweller on or near a small hill. The names of habitation are derived from pre-existing names denoting towns, villages, farmsteads or other named habitations... [more]
BerniniItalian Bernini was the surname of famous sculptor and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680).
BerrettaItalian From berretta, originally meaning ‘hooded cloak’ (Latin birrus), later ‘headdress’, ‘bonnet’, hence a metonymic occupational name for a maker of such headgear or a nickname for an habitual wearer.
BinettiItalian Comes from a diminutive of Bino. Italianized form of French 'Binet'. Habitational name from a place called Binetto (named with Latin vinetum ‘vineyard’) in Bari province.
BiniItalian Comes from the given name Albino and other names ending with -bino ending.
BinottoItalian Possible diminutive of Bini or Bino. Possible variant of German Binoth
BiondolilloItalian Probably from Sicilian biunnuliddu "little fair one", a nickname for someone with blonde hair. Compare Biondi.
BiscottiItalian An occupational surname for someone who sells or bakes biscotti.
BizzarriItalian From Italian bizzarro, "odd, eccentric, strange".