The Leonardo Family Name

Seen on a birth certificate or a ship's manifest, Leonardo is usually a form of Leonardi. Surname dictionaries give the meaning as “Son of Leonardo”.

• The change of ending between Leonardi and Leonardo reflects the Italian habit of naming a family in the plural or the singular.
• Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them.
• Other spellings include Lunardi and Di Leonardo.

Heraldry and the Leonardo name

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Leonardi surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. For the full story, order the Leonardo surname pack.