Italian Surnames: Meaning, Origin & Coat of Arms (page 3 of 3)

Monk

White mountain

Mountain dwellers

Of the mountains

From Morando, a medieval personal name

Little dark one

Dark-haired (little Moro)

Moor, dark-haired

A nickname from mosca, "fly"

Mound, fortified hill

Mason, bricklayer

Neapolitan

From Nardo, short for Leonardo or Bernardo

A name for a child born at Christmas

Dark-haired, dark-complexioned

Short form of Ranieri; dark

From Nicoletto, a pet form of Nicola

Son of Oliviero

From Orlando (Roland)

Famous land (Roland)

"little bear"

Peace

From pagano, "villager" or "pagan"

Villager; unbaptised child

From Palermo

From paladino, "paladin", a knight of Charlemagne

Palm, from Palm Sunday, or from Palma

Pilgrim to the Holy Land

Wood pigeon, dove

From Paoletto, a pet form of Paolo

"priest", or a nickname

From Paris, Parisian

A Ligurian surname of uncertain origin

Born at Easter

Shepherd

Pilgrims

Pilgrim

"pepper", or Giuseppe

Big Pietro (Peter)

Fish, fishmonger

Town square

"little"

Feather or quill, a Sardinian name

Pears; pear tree

From Pisa

Family of Polo (Paul)

From Ippolito

Pig, a nickname or name for a swineherd

Dweller by a well

Foundling

From Apulia

From Randazzo

Son of Riccardo ("powerful ruler")

Curly-haired

From Rinaldo, "ruler by counsel"

Bank, shore

Curly-haired

Curly-haired

Fortress, rock

From Romagna

From Rome

Pilgrim to Rome

Cleared land

Rose

Little red-haired one

Red-haired (plural of Rosso)

Little red-haired one

Wheel; from Rota

Famous spear (Roger)

Red-haired (southern form of Rosso)

Sack, sack maker

Hall, manor

From Salerno

Safe, saved

Fang, prominent tooth

From Sant'Angelo, St Michael's place

Little saint

Of the saints (All Saints' Day)

Saracen

Sardinian

Tailor

Slav, from Dalmatia

Squire

Son of Serafino

Mountain ridge

Sicilian

Of the woods

From Sorrento

Sword

Spaniard

Little thorn

German

New land

Head

Tuscan

Boy, young man; shorn

From Trapani

From Treviso

Cowherd

Strong, healthy

Of Valentino

Venetian

Good fortune

From Viganò

Country house, village

Full of life

Of life, lively (family of Vitale)

Altar server

Little Gianni (John)

Little John

Young man, bridegroom