223 Most Common Italian Last Names With Meanings

Italian is classified as an Indo-European language and is 21st on the list of the world’s most widely spoken languages. I have hand-picked 223 common Italian last names with meanings included.

List With The Most Common Italian Last Names And Their Meanings:

Martini

Martini is from the Latin Martinus that means ”devotee to Mars.” Mars is one of the principal gods in Roman mythology. He is the son of Jupiter and Juno.

Vescovi

”Bishops”.

Genovese

”Genoese,” and a Neapolitan onion sauce called genovese.

Calzolari

”Shoemakers.”

Valle

”Valley.”

Martelli

”Hammers.”

Rossi

”Red.” Variations include Russotti, De Rossi, Russo, De Russi, Russino, Della Rossa, Russi, Di Rosso, Russetti, and Rosselino.

Stella

”Star.”

Agnello

”Lamb.”

Vacca

Cow.

Garibaldi

”Bold spear,” as well as a British biscuit after Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Bulgari

”Bulgarian,” and a Rome jeweller that spells it with a V.

Marino

Marino is rooted in the Latin ”marinus” and is symbolizing ”of the sea.” It is especially found in Calabria and Sicily.

Campana

”Bell,” or a bell maker.

Iacono

”Deacon.”

Aquila

”Eagle,” or someone from L’Aquila in Abruzzo.

Turco

Turk.

Monaco

”Monk,” or someone from Munich, Monaco in Italian.

Ferrari

Ferrari means “blacksmith.” It is the plural form of Ferraro.

Conti

”Count.”

Russo

Russo is a Sicilian and that comes from Late Latin russus which means ”red hair” or” beard.” It is also popular in Argentina, more exactly in Buenos Aires.

Fortunato

Lucky.

Felice

”Happy.”

Sforza

Ludovico Sforza (“force”) commissioned The Last Supper from Leonardo.

Giglio

”Lily,” or someone from Giglio Island.

Galilei

From Galileo, ”of Galilee.” Jupiter’s four big moons are called Galilean.

Fermi

”Firm,” and fermium, element one hundred, after Enrico Fermi.

Cacciatore

”Hunter,” and chicken cacciatore is hunter-style chicken.

Donato

”Given,” and Donatello is its diminutive.

Castagna

”Chestnut.”

Giuliani

From Giuliano and Latin Julius, ”youthful.”

Passero

”Sparrow”.

Di Giovanni

Son of Giovanni, ”God is gracious.”

Diotallevi

”May God raise you.”

Di Paolo

”Son of Paolo”.

Rovere

”Oak,” and Sistine Chapel has roots in a Della Rovere pope.

Bonanno

”Good year.”

De Luca

The Deluca (from the Latin Lucas) means ‘son of Luca.’

Esposito

”Placed outside” or ”exposed.” Painter Gaetano Esposito won a gold medal at the 1904 Universal Exposition at Saint Louis.

Federici

Federico, ”peaceful ruler.”

Melis

Melis is Sardinian and has a sweet meaning that I love: ”honey.”

Corvo

”Crow.”

Cirillo

It has origins in Greek kyrios, lord.

Spina

Thorn.

Spada

”Sword,” and Palazzo Spada in Rome has Borromini’s forced perspective gallery.

Colonna

Vittoria Colonna (“column”) was a poet and close friend of Michelangelo.

D’Alessandro

From Alessandro, ”defender of men.”

Speranza

Speranza is the Italian word for ”hope,” a meaning that I like.

Rocca

”Fortress,” ”rock,” ”hilltop castle” or ”distaff.”

Battisti

Lucio Battisti (“Baptists”) is one of Italy’s best-selling singers.

Giordano

Giordano is a patronymic surname and is the Italian version of Jordan. Jordan has Hebrew origins and means “to flow down.”

Molinari

Millers.

Galante

”Gallant.”

Grillo

”Cricket,” or a lively, chirpy person.

Lodi

”Praises,” or someone from Lodi, near Milan.

Verdi

Giuseppe Verdi (“green”) composed Aida for a Cairo opera house.

Merlo

Blackbird.

Mariani

Angelo Mariani (“of Marius”) sold a wine laced with coca leaves.

Valentini

From Valentino and Latin valens, strong.

Gagliardi

”Bold and vigorous.”

Falco

”Falcon.”

Guglielmi

From Guglielmo, Germanic and made of will and helmet.

Lupo

”Wolf.”

Palumbo

”Wood pigeon” or ”ring dove.”

Farina

It is the word for flour, an occupational name for a miller or a grain dealer. Battista Farina was the founder of the Carrozzeria Pininfarina coachbuilding company.

Grimaldi

Grimaldi (“helmet ruler”) is the house of Monaco’s princes.

Fornari

”Bakers.”

Nobile

Umberto Nobile (“noble”) flew an airship over the North Pole.

Bentivoglio

”I wish you well,” and a family that ruled Bologna.

Gioia

”Joy”.

Malatesta

”Bad head,” a stubborn person, and lords of Rimini.

Novelli

”Newcomers.”

Fabbri

Fabbri is from Latin faber, “blacksmith”.

Bianchi

Bianchi has its origins in the word “bianco” that has a meaning that I like, ”white.” Model Daniela Bianchi was crowned Miss Universo Italia 1960.

Chiesa

”Church.”

Pasquale

”Of Easter”.

Calvo

Bald.

Proietti

From Latin proiectus, ”cast out,” foundlings in Rome.

Cavalli

”Horses.”

Visconti

”Viscounts,” and lords of Milan for over a century.

Lombardi

Lombardi hints to an individual who came from the region in northern Italy, Lombardy.

Di Matteo

”Son of Matteo.”

Forte

Strong.

Luna

Moon.

Schiavone

”Slav,” and Riva degli Schiavoni is a Venice waterfront.

Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte (“good side”) was born in Ajaccio, Corsica.

Benedetti

”Blessed.”

Piccolo

”Small,” and English uses it for a tiny flute.

D’Angelo

”Son of Angelo.”

Scarpa

”Shoe.”

Romano

”Roman” or ”from Rome.”

Di Stefano

Alfredo Di Stéfano (“son of Stefano”) starred for Real Madrid.

Fossati

”Ditches”.

Colombo

Colombo comes from the Latin term columba, ”pigeon” or ”dove.” In the past, it was given to children staying at the orphanage.

Moretti

The etymology is Italian moro (”Moor” or ”dark”) and is from Latin Maurus via the diminutive moretto.

Messina

From Messina, on a strait where myth placed Scylla and Charybdis.

Pozzi

”Wells.”

Veneziano

”Venetian.”

Zappa

”Hoe.”

Bevilacqua

”Drink water,” a nickname for someone who skipped wine.

Bartoli

Cecilia Bartoli (“son of Bartolo”) is a Roman mezzo-soprano.

Napolitano

”From Naples” and is an older spelling of napoletano. Giorgio Napolitano served as President of Italy from 2006 to 2015.

Castelli

”Castles,” and Castelli Romani are hill towns near Rome.

Gamba

”Leg.”

Cardinale

Claudia Cardinale (“cardinal”) was born in Tunis.

Biondi

”Blond.”

Argento

Dario Argento (“silver”) directed Suspiria.

De Simone

Son of Simone.

Sala

”Hall,” ”room,” ”manor” or ”farmhouse.”

Natale

”Christmas.”

Piazza

”Town square.”

Ricci

Ricci has roots in riccio, “curly-haired.”

Barbieri

“Barbers.”

Greco

Greco is interpreted as ”Greek” and is from Latin Graecus. Vâariations include Grecco and Della Greca.

Bassi

”Short,” and Laura Bassi was Europe’s first salaried female professor.

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Ferretti

Ferretti is a name that I love and comes from the Italian for ‘iron’ (ferro).

Allegri

Gregorio Allegri (“cheerful”) wrote a Miserere young Mozart wrote out from memory.

Marchese

”Marquis.”

Bosco

”Woods,” and Saint John Bosco is a patron of stage magicians.

Fava

”Broad bean.”

Abate

”Abbot.”

Cipolla

Carlo Cipolla (“onion”) wrote The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity.

Farnese

From Farnese, a village in Lazio. Palazzo Farnese in Rome is now France’s embassy.

Pescatore

Fisherman.

Lepore

Hare.

Gualtieri

It comes from Walter, ”ruler of an army.”

Sanna

Sardinian sanna, ”fang.”

Capra

Frank Capra (“goat”) directed It’s a Wonderful Life.

Bruno

Bruno is from the Old German ‘brun’ (brown). Brunei and Brunoldi are all different variants.

Tomasi

Giuseppe Tomasi (“twin”) wrote The Leopard.

Benigni

Roberto Benigni (“kind”) won an Oscar for Life Is Beautiful.

Pastore

”Shepherd.”

Cervi

”Deer”.

Campo

”Field,” ”camp,” ”battlefield” or a Venetian square.

Lorenzo

“From Laurentum.” It is also popular in Spanish-speaking countries.

Gallo

Rooster or cock.

Basile

Basile has origins in the Greek basileios, ”royal” or ”kingly.”

Borghese

”Townsman,” and Villa Borghese, a park in Rome.

Volta

”Bend” in a road, and source of the word volt.

Volpe

”Fox,” and comes from Latin vulpes. It named a person who was clever or cunning. It is pronounced as VOL-peh.

Olivieri

”Olive grower,” or son of Oliviero.

Leale

”Loyal.”

Vitale

”Life-giving,” and has roots in Latin Vitalis.

Mancini

It has its origins in the Italian adjective mancino, ”left-handed.” Football manager Roberto Mancini played for Leicester City, Lazio, Sampdoria, and Bologna.

Conte

It comes from the Latin “comitis”, ”attendant.” For soccer fans, Antonio Conte is the head coach of Serie A club SSC Napoli.

Porta

Gate.

Ruggiero

”Famous spear,” and a Saracen knight in Orlando Furioso.

Siciliano

”From Sicily.”

Lancia

Vincenzo Lancia (“lance”) founded his car firm in Turin.

Cristiani

Christians.

Savio

Wise.

Brambilla

From Brambilla, a village above Bergamo.

Ventura

”Luck,” or ”adventure.”

Giudice

Judge.

Costa

It is from Latin costa, “rib, side,” used as a topographic surname for someone living on a hillside or coast. In Italy Costa is very popular in Liguria and Sicily.

Ferrara

It is a habitational surname from the city of Ferrara.

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Rizzo

Rizzo symbolizes an individual with curly hair.

Neri

”Black” or ”dark,” and is the plural of nero via the Latin niger.

Sorrentino

It is symbolizing from Sorrento that is a town on the bay south of Naples. In 2014 Paolo Sorrentino earned the Academy Award with The Great Beauty.

Cattaneo

Chieftain or captain.

Longo

”Tall” or ”long” and comes from Latin longus. It was initially a nickname for someone of notable height. The plural Longhi is popular in north-central Italy as well as the dialect forms Longoni and Longa.

Serra

Serra has roots in saw (serra); this was used for a carpenter or woodcutter.

Leone

”Lion,” and comes from Latin leo.

Fontana

From fontana and is symbolizing ”spring” or” fountain.”

Silvestri

”Of the woods.”

Sartori

Sartori is from sarto (Latin sartor, one who patches or mends).

Barone

”Baron.”

Guerra

”War,” and comes from the Germanic root (werra). It is also found in Spanish and Portuguese families.

Fiore

Fiore is the word for flower and is from Latin flos. Fiori is the plural, and Fiorillo and Fiorentino are variations that I like.

Santoro

It comes from the Latin Santorus, “all saints.” Visual artist Vittorio Santoro was nominated for the prestigious Prix Marcel Duchamp 2017.

Orlando

”Famous throughout the land.”

Villa

Villa is from the Latin villa, a country house or farmstead. It was usually placed a family at or near such a property.

Marini

”Seafarer.”

Pellegrini

Pellegrini comes from the word pellegrino (pilgrim). It is mostly found in Tuscany and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol.

Rinaldi

Rinaldi comes from the Germanic ‘Reginald’ which is interpreted as ”powerful ruler.”

Magnani

From magnano, a locksmith or tinker.

Caruso

It comes from ”carusu”, ”boy.” Chicago mobster Frank T. Caruso ran with the infamous Forty-Two Gang.

Saraceno

”Saracen.”

Biagi

From Biagio, Latin Blasius, ”lisping.”

Calabrese

”Calabrian”.

Galli

Galli symbolizes ”rooster.”

Battaglia

It has Latin origins and an interesting meaning: ”battle.” Letizia Battaglia was a photojournalist best known for her work on the Mafia.

Gentile

From Late Latin gentilis and is linked to gens (”family” or ”clan”). It is pronounced as jen-TEE-leh.

Testa

”Head.”

Coppola

The coppola is the cap worn across Sicily and southern Italy. Francis Ford Coppola is the director of The Godfather and also won five Academy Awards.

Medici

”Doctors,” and a banking family that ruled Florence.

Pinna

Pinna is Sardinian for ”feather.”

D’Amico

From Amico, ”friend.”

Pugliese

From Apulia.

Ponte

Bridge.

Marchetti

Marchetti is a diminutive of Marco.

Monti

”Mountains,” and is the plural of monte. Mario Monti served as Italy’s prime minister from 2011 to 2013.

Pace

Peace.

Tedesco

”German.”

Papa

”Pope” or ”daddy.”

De Filippo

Eduardo De Filippo (“son of Filippo”) wrote plays in Neapolitan.

Pisano

Nicola Pisano (“from Pisa”) carved a pulpit for Pisa’s baptistery.

Pazzi

”Madmen.”

Piras

From Sardinian pira, pear.

Muratori

Bricklayers.

Albanese

”Albanian,” and Arbëreshë villages of Calabria descend from Albanian settlers.

Torre

”Tower”.

Toscano

”Tuscan,” and an Italian cigar.

Amato

”Beloved,” and is from Latin amatus.

Parisi

Parisi has roots in the city of Paris as well as in the medieval Parisius. Variants include Parigi and Parisini.

Viola

”Violet,” or from Viola.

Pirelli

”Little Piero.” Pirelli is a tire maker founded in Milan.

Pagano

”Pagan” or ”villager,” from Latin paganus.

Barba

”Beard.”

Cortese

”Courteous.”

Riva

”Riverbank” or ”shore” and comes from Latin ripa.

Carbone

”Coal” or ”charcoal.”

De Rosa

“From the rose.”

Bellini

It is from ”bello” that is symbolizing ”handsome” or ”good-looking.” Vincenzo Bellini wrote the opera Norma and died at the age of 33 in Puteaux.

Innocenti

”Innocents,” one for foundlings of Florence’s Ospedale degli Innocenti.

Trovato

”Found.”

Gonzaga

From Gonzaga, near Mantua, and a university in Spokane.

Sereni

Calm.

Cappelli

”Hats,” or a hatter.

Antonelli

”Little Antonio,” and Turin’s Mole Antonelliana is after its architect.

Gatti

Gatti comes from gatto, cat, in the plural.

Grassi

Grassi is from the Latin crassus (”corpulent ” or ”fat”).

De Santis

“Of the saints”.