What is the first thing that crosses your mind when you hear Italian? If my guess is correct, Pizza and Pasta come to mind for most of us, while romantic Italian movies come to mind for others. Suppose you are one of those people who are fans of anything Italian. In that case, being interested in Italian surnames and last names is unsurprising.
Italian surnames are quickly becoming popular among new-generation parents for their first names, owing to their lyrical ring or classy sound. We have curated a plethora of Italian surnames and their meanings that you might find interesting. Read on!
100 Best Italian Surnames/Last Names/Family Names:
1. Abate:
Abate is an Italian surname derived from the word ‘abet,’ which means priest. This could be the family name of a person whose occupation is being a rabbi. Alternatively, this surnamemeans ‘son of the abbe,’ making it a patronymic name.
2. Accardi:
A typical Italian surname whose roots are from Achard is Accardi. It means ‘hardy’ or ‘brave’.
3. Agosti:
The surname Agosti originates from the Latin word Augustus, meaning favored with good omens.’ Agosta, Agostaro, Agostino, and Augusto are some recorded name variations.
4. Ajello:
An occupational surname from the Latin word ‘ager’ or ‘field’ is Ajello and was mostly given to farmers.
5. Albano:
Albano is a family name inspired by the first name Albano, referring to someone ‘from Alba.’The Italian variant is Albani, while the ancient Roman version is Albanus.
6. Amato:
Another beautiful name is Amato, derived from “amatus”, meaning ‘beloved.’
7. Agostini:
Agostini is an Italian family name that means ‘son of Agostino.’People from the island of Corsica, which once belonged to Italy, usually bear this name. The Italian variant of this name is D’Agostino, while its English equivalents include Augustine and Austin.
8. Angelini:
As the name suggests, Angelini means ‘little angel.’Angeli, Angeloni, Angeline, Angelino, Angelica, Angelis, and Angelico are some variations of this name.
9. Antonelli:
Antonelli is a patronymic surname meaning’son of Antonello.’ Antonello, Antonetto, Antonietti, Antoniutti, Antonioli, and Antonicelli are some popular variations.
10. Arena:
Inspired by the Spanish surname Arenas, Arena is an Italian family name that means’sand.’ It is an old occupational surname involving sand collection and subsequent sale.
11. Armani:
Armani is a famous Italian surname owing to the luxury brand that means ‘son of Ermanno.’It is also believed to be an ancient Germanic name that means “freeman.” Spanish and Portuguese variant is Armando, while its German equivalent is Herrmann.
12. Baggio:
Baggio is a toponymic surname used by people from Baggio, Italy. Some names similar to Baggio include Baggi, Baglio, Biggio, Boggio, Saggio, Raggio, and Bagge.
13. Ballerini:
Ballerina is an occupational surname derived from the term ballerino. Ballerini means ‘dancer’and is ideal for someone who likes to dance. Popular variants of this surname include Ballarini, Ballarino, and Ballerino.
14. Barbieri:
Originating from the Italian word Barbiere, Barbieri is an Italian surname that means ‘barber.’ Barbera, Barberi, Barbieri, and Barberio are other popular variations.
15. Barone:
Barone is an Italian surname whose roots come from the Latin barus, which means brave.’You can also use this Italian surname as a first name. You can also choose from its variations Varoni, Baret, Baruzzo, Barelli, Baronio, or Barella.
16. Bellucci:
Bellucci is an Italian surname derived from the Italian word ‘Bello,’ which means beautiful, and model Monica Bellucci has popularized it.
17. Bendetti:
Derived from the Late Roman given name Benedictus, the surname Bendettimeans ‘blessed.’ St. Benedict, known as the “father of Western monasticism,” has made this name popular.
18. Berlusconi:
Many believe Berlusconi is a surname inspired by the Milanese word berlusch, meaning’cross-eyed’ or ‘crooked.’ Silvio Berlusconi is a popular Italian politician with this surname.
19. Bernardi:
Bernardi is an Italian last name that comes from Beornheard or Bernhard. Bern means ‘bear,’ and ‘hard’ means solid or hardy. Therefore, this surname means ‘strong as a bear.’
20. Bianco:
Another typical Italian surname that means white is Bianco. This name was usually given to people with white hair or people who looked very pale initially. Beto Bianchi, Daniela Bianchi, and Emilio Bianchi are celebrities with this surname.
21. Borghese:
Borghese is an Italian surname derived from the word ‘burgeis.’It usually refers to a person who can apply municipal rates, taxes, and duties in a town.
22. Brambilla:
Brembilla is an Italian town in Bergamo province in Lombardy, North Italy. Brambilla is a toponymic name derived from this town.
23. Bruni:
Bruni is a variation of the word Bruno, meaning the colour ‘brown.’This name represents the person’s warm and earthy personality, just like the colour brown.
24. Bruno:
Another famous Italian surname is Bruno, popularized by Mars Bruno, the renowned singer and musician. This name is derived from the Italian word for brown and is a trendy first name in many countries.
25. Caivano:
Inspired by the city of Caivano near Naples, Italy, Caivano is a toponymic surname. It can be a unique first name for kids with a typical Italian ring.
26. Calasso:
Derived from the pre-Latin term cala, Calasso means’cove,” creek,’ or ‘the mountain’s steep side.’Calassois is another popular Italian surname.
27. Caputo:
The Italian surname Caputo originates from the Italian word ‘capo,’ which means headstrong.
28. Carbone:
Another typical Italian surname is Carbone, which means ‘coal’ or ‘charcoal.’Coal miners, merchants, or charcoal burners usually use this last name.
29. Caruso:
Caruso is a popular Italian surname that means ‘boy’ or young apprentice.’ The Italian opera singer Enrico Caruso has this surname.
30. Catalán:
Catalán is a toponymic name used to identify a person from Spain’s Catalonia region. Some popular name variants are Catalano, Catalani, Catalàn, Catelani, and Catalanotto.
31. Cattaneo:
Cattaneo means ‘captain’ in Italian, and someone who acted as a group captain or ship captain usually took on this surname.
32. Colombo:
Colombo is one of the standard occupational Italian surnames derived from the Latin name columbe, meaning dove.’This surname was prevalent during the Middle Ages, with Christoforo Colombo or Christopher Columbus being the most famous bearer of the name, the discoverer of America.
33. Coppola:
Coppola means ‘a little round hat’ and is an Italian surname also popular as a nickname for people who love trying different hats.
34. Costa:
Costa is a popular variation of Di Costa, another famous Italian surname. The name Costa is Italian for rib, a ‘slope’ or ‘coast.’
35. Cremona:
Cremona is a surname that means ‘big cream’ in Italian, derived from the Italian city of Cremona, situated south of Milan, Lombardy.
36. D’Angelo:
As the name suggests, this surname means ‘angelic’. Di Angelo, Angelo, Angela, Angioli, Angiola, Agnola, D’Angelo, and D’Angiolo are other popular variations of this surname.
37. Di Caprio:
We know Di Caprio’s last name because of the famous HolywoodOscar-winning actor Leonardo Di Caprio. This surname might refer to the word ‘goat, ‘ derived from the Italian term capra.
38. De Felice:
De Felice is an Italian family name that means ‘son of Felice’and is derived from the Latin word Felix, meaning’happy’ or ‘lucky.’The French, Portuguese, and Spanish variant is Félix.
39. De Luca:
Another common Italian family name with a strong genealogy is De Luca, which means”son of Lucas.”Lucarelli, Lucas, Lucchi, Lucco, Luchi, and Lucca are some variations of this name.
40. Donato:
Donato is a surname from the Latin word Donare, meaning’to give.’Prevalent versions of Donato include Donati, Dona, and Donatelli.
41. Esposito:
Esposito is another ancient surname derived from the old Italian word esposto, meaning’to expose.’ Argentine actress and singer Mariana Esposito and American actress Jennifer Esposito are famous people with this surname.
42. Evangelista:
Evangelista is an Italian occupational family name that means ‘evangelist.’ Evangelista referred to the four people who wrote the Gospel, as per the New Testament.
43. Fabbri:
Fabbri is another occupational surname from Faber, ‘craftsman’ or ‘smith.’Though it is a surname, many people also use it as a unique nickname for a baby girl.
44. Ferrara:
Probably originated from the Latin Ferro, meaning ‘iron,’ Ferrara is a popular Italian surname and occupational surname for blacksmiths.
45. Fontana:
Fontana is a musical surname derived from the Latin word Fons, meaning ‘spring.’ People living near a spring were given this topographical surname.
46. Fusco:
Derived from the Latin term fuscus, which means ‘dark,’ Fusco is an Italian surname usually given to people with dark hair or complexion.
47. Gatti:
Gatti is a common patronymic surname given to people with cat-like qualities, and the name is derived from the Italian word Gatto, meaning a ‘tomcat.’
48. Giordano:
Giordano is a surname from the word Jordan, referring to the holy river. It means ‘the one who descends’. The watchmaker Giordano is a famous person with this surname.
49. Giunta:
Giunta is an Italian family name inspired by the given name Bonagiunta. Bonagiunta has two terms: bono means ‘good’ and aggiunto means ‘assistant.’
50. Greco:
Greco is one of the most famous Italian surnames derived from the Latin word Graecus, meaning ‘Greek.’ It can also be an unusual first name for a baby boy. A few namesakes of this surname includesupermodel Viviana Grecoand Reality TV star Joey Greco.
51. Grillo:
Grillo is an Italian word for ‘cricket,’ a cheerful person exhibiting qualities similar to cricket is given this surname. The variant spellings of this surname include Grilli and Grille.
52. Guerra:
Guerra is another common Italian surname, usually referring to a soldier since the name means ‘war.’
53. Guiluliani:
Originating from the Latin word Lullius, Guiluliani is a popular Italian surname that means someone who is ‘youthful.’
54. Laganà:
Laganà refers to a vegetable cultivator or vendor, making it a perfect occupational surname. Some variants of this name include Laguna, Lagua, and Lagunas.
55. Leone:
Coming from the Italian word ‘lion,’ Leone is a popular Italian surname, which can also be a nickname for your lion-hearted baby. Other variations include Leoni, Leonelli, Leonello, and Leonotti.
56. Leoni:
Leoni is a female version of the Italian surname Leoni, representing the lion-hearted baby girl.
57. Lombardi:
People from Lombardy in Northern Italy initially took up this popular surname Lombardi.
58. Lupo:
Lupo’s family name means ‘wolf,’ derived from the Latin Lupus. Different languages have several variants of this surname. For example, this name’s Spanish and Portuguese version is Lobo, while Lupei and Lupu are their Romanian counterparts.
59. Mancini:
Mancini is a popular surname derived from the Italian word Mancino. The meaning of this word is ‘ambidextrous’ or ‘left-handed.’
60. Marchesi:
This Italian title, Marchesi, refers to ‘marquis,’ which is the inspiration behind this surname. Some of the variants of this last name include Marchese, Marchesich, Marchesini, Marcheselli, and Marchesin.
61. Marchetti:
The appellation Marchetti is derived from Marchino or Marcus, which refers to the Roman god of war. It is also a cognomen.
62. Marmo:
Marmo means ‘marble’in Italian. It is a topographic family name for someone involved with work related to marblesor who dwelled near a quarry.
63. Martini:
Martini is an Italian surname famously linked to a drink originally derived from Martinus, or Mars, the Roman god of war and fertility. De Martini, Martino, Martin, Martina, and Martinelli are the other familiar variations of this surname.
64. Mazza:
Mazza is the Italian word that means a ‘club, hammer, or mace.’Toolmakers have made this last name extremely popular.
65. Messina:
Messina is a topographical title for somebody living in Messana, Italy. This surname not only has a unique ring to it but also an appropriate name for a baby girl.
66. Monti:
Monti is a surname that can also be a beautiful nickname for your child, derived from the Italian word Monte or mountain.
67. Morelli:
Another typical Italian surname to describe a moor or somebody with a dark skin tone is Morelli. Morèlli, Morello, Morèllo, and Morella are some of the favorite variations of this name.
68. Moretti:
Moretti is a stylish Italian surname derived from the Italian word Moretto, referring to ‘dark hair.’This can also be a perfect first name for a baby girl with dark and beautiful hair.
69. Moschella:
An excellent Italian surname, Moschella, derived from the word mosca, refers to a ‘housefly.’This name was probably believed to be given to an annoying person.
70. Napoli:
Napoli is a habitational surname that refers to a person from Naples. You can also spell this name as Di Napoli, Dinapoli, Napoletani, Napoliello, Napoletano, and Napolitano.
71. Negri:
Negri is another common Italian surname derived from the Italian word that means ‘black.’ People with dark complexion were given this name in the olden days. Negris, Nigra, and Negrelli are other versions of this name.
72. Orsini:
Orsini is an Italian surname derived from the Italian word orso, meaning ‘bear.’This surname is a perfect choice for physically strong people. Some of this name’s variant spellings include Orsi, Orso, D’Orsi, Dorsi, and D’Orso.
73. Palmisano:
Palmisano is an Italian and habitational surname referring to a person from the Palmi region in Reggio Calabria.
74. Palumbo:
An Italian surname, Palumbo, is derived from the Italian word, Palombo, meaning a ‘ring dove.’ This surname can also be a nickname for baby boys.
75. Parisi:
Parisi is a very cute Italian surname that also works well as a first name for girls. It is a topographical surname that means ‘from Paris’.
76. Pepe:
Pepe is a shortened form of Giuseppe, an Italian last name, Joseph. This biblical surname is based on the name of a biblical character. Papi, Peppin, Peri, and Pupa are several recorded versions of this surname.
77. Pera:
Pera is an Italian surname which means ‘pear.’ This name can also be a sure-shot name suitable for your baby boy.
78. Picasso:
The first person that comes to mind when you hear the word Picasso is the renowned painter. Derived from the Italian word pica, it means’magpie.’
79. Puma:
Another prominent surname ideal for your hale and hearty little princess is Puma, which means ‘apple.’
80. Quattro:
Quattro is a common surname from the Italian word ‘Quattro,’ which means ‘four.’
81. Quattrocchi:
Combining the Italian terms Quattro, which means ‘four,’ and occhi, which means ‘eye,’ resulted in the famous Italian surname Quattrocchi.
82. Raffa:
Raffa is a geographical surname that sounds hip and exotic given to people from the region of Raffa in Sicily, Italy.
83. Ricci:
Ricci is a popular Italian surname derived from the ancient Italian word Ricco, meaning ‘curly.’
84. Riva:
The topographic surname Riva derives from the Latinripa, meaning river bank or shore. It also has Spanish equivalents such as Rivas, Rivero, and Rivera.
85. Romano:
Stand-up comedian Ray Romano and actress Michelle Romano have made the surname Romano popular, which means ‘from Rome.’
86. Rossi:
Another most common Italian surname is Rossi, a plural form of the name Rosso, meaning red in Italian. This name is gaining popularity in Argentina, Austria, Peru, the US, and Mexico, though Italian by origin.
87. Santoro:
Santoro is an Italian surname that means ‘feast of all the saints.’ This name is also popular as a first name for a baby boy.
88. Sartori:
Derived from the word Sartos, which means ‘tailor,’ Sartori is a common occupational Italian surname. Sartes, Sartou, and Sastre are other variations of this name.
89. Segreto:
Segreto is an Italian surname that means’confidant,’ which originates from the Latin term Secretum, meaning ‘a hidden place.’Secret couriers or spieswere the people who had this occupational surname.
90. Serra:
In Italian, Serra refers to a ‘ridge or chain of hills.’This surname can also be used as a first name for a baby girl. Serrano and Serrana are some of the popular variations.
91. Testa:
Testa is another popular Italian surname derived from the word Teste, which means ‘head.’Other popular surname variations include Testi, Testini, Testoni, Testai, and Testani.
92. Vitale:
Suppose you are a fan of the animated movie series Madagascar. In that case, you must have heard Vitale, the acrobatic tiger. This is a popular surname whose roots come from the word Vitalis, meaning ‘ of life’ or ‘vital’.
93. Valentino:
Valentino is an exquisite and exotic surname derived from the Roman word Valens, which is the root for this surname, meaning’healthy and vigorous.’
94. Vece:
The Italian surname Vece comes from the Latin word Vicis, which means ‘change’ or ‘alteration.’Cece, Vose, and Voce are similar surnames.
95. Verga:
Verga is an occupational surname usually given to shepherds since the Italian meaning of the word is ‘stick,’ ‘cane,’ or ‘shepherd crook.’ Varga, Verna, Perna, and Veiga are the other variations of this name.
96. Vero:
Vero is another popular surname, where the word means ‘real’ or ‘true’ in Italian. It can also be an adorable nickname for your little prince.
97. Vespa:
Though Vespa might remind you of the luxury scooter brand, it is an Italian surname referring to a ‘wasp.’
98. Vinci:
Vinci is a surname often used by many who want their daughter to conquer the world. It comes from the word Vincere, meaning’to conquer.’Some of the alternatives include Vince or Viney for a baby boy.
99. Zappa:
The Italian surname Zappa means ‘hoe or ‘mattock’and is likely an occupational surname for farmers. Some variant spellings include Zappi, Zappetti, Zappetta, Zapa, Zappelli, Zapi, and Zappas.
100. Zucca:
Zucca is an occupational surname for sellers of gourds, which means ‘squash’ in Italian. Zecca and Zuccaro are the other variations of this name.
In conclusion, whether you want to choose a name for your baby that has Italian inspiration or you are just curious about Italian surnames, the article presents you with many options. Go through the list thoroughly and gain knowledge that will help you make a choice ideally. Don’t forget to let us know if you found the article helpful!
Disclaimer:
This is exclusively a guide to learning about unique and rare Italian surnames and last names. These names are provided for informative purposes only, and the content provided in this article is from research through various sources across the web. We do not guarantee or promise any accuracy of the facts provided in this article.
