Do your ancestors come from Italy? You might have come across some Italian surnames as you began working on the genealogy of your family. Many of these last names come from Latin or Italian words, and this is where some of the meanings behind the names comes from.
It is entirely possible that your ancestors came from Italy, even if you do not happen to have one of the ten most common Italian surnames. However, if your surname is common enough to make the list, it may indicate that one or more of your ancestors emigrated from Italy to the country you live in today.
The most common Italian surname is Rossi. This comes from the first name Rosso, which is a nickname for a person who has red hair, a red beard, or a reddish complexion. Rossi is also a common surname in Greece. The second most common Italian surname is Russo, which means the exact same thing as the surname Rossi does. Both words refer to the red color of a person’s hair, beard, or complexion. The difference is that Rossi is a surname that comes from North and Central Italy, while Russo comes from Southern Italy.
Number three is Ferrari. In Italian, the word “ferro” means “iron”. This surname refers to the job of someone who works with iron, such as a blacksmith. You could say that the English equivalent of Ferrari is the surname Smith. Number four is Esposito. This name is derived from the Latin word “expositus”, which means “was placed outside”. It refers to a child who was abandoned by his or her parents, and who was later found by someone else. Number five is Bianchi. This name is derived from the Italian word for “white”, (the word “bianco”). It refers to a nickname for a person with white hair, or a very white complexion.
Number six is the surname Romano. This comes from the Latin word “Romanus”, which meant “a person from Rome”, or “a Roman citizen”. Number seven is Columbo, which is derived from the Italian word “columba”. This word means “dove”, and also refers to a person who is a keeper of doves. Number eight is Ricci, which comes from the first name of Riccio. It refers to someone who has curly hair. Number nine is Marino. This is the Italian form of the first name Marinus, (which is Latin). This surname means “of the sea”. The tenth most common Italian surname is Greco, which comes from the Latin word “Graecus” or the Italian word “Greco”. Both refer to a person who came from Greece, or is Greek.
Image from Vibracobra23 on Flickr