Gentile Surname: Origin and Coat of Arms
What does Gentile mean, and where does it come from? Here is a brief introduction.
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Origin of the Gentile name
Gentile comes from the medieval Italian given name Gentile, meaning "noble, kind, of good family", from Latin gentilis. It could also be a nickname for a courteous person. The surname is common across southern and central Italy, especially in Campania, Abruzzo and Sicily.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Gentile name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Gentile name in Italy. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Argentina and Brazil; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Gentile name FAQ
What does the Gentile name mean?
Noble, courteous. Common variants include Gentili, Gentilini, Gentiluomo.
Where does the Gentile surname come from?
It originates in Italy, and is also found in the United States, Argentina and Brazil.
Is there a Gentile coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Gentile crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Gentile coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: De Felice, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani; Caffarelli & Marcato, I cognomi d'Italia.