First names may come and go like fashion trends, but last names are the thread that connects generations, telling the story of who we are, where we come from and what made our ancestors unique. Many of the most famous Italian surnames have their origins in the strangest of places—think ancient jobs, far-flung places, or even unique physical features that made someone stand out from the crowd centuries ago.
It is said that there are around 400,000 surnames in Italy today (source: Treccani magazine), an incredible diversity resulting from the country's fragmented past. Interestingly, the first attempts to calculate them were not made until the 1970s, and the method? Just flip through the phone book and count the names!
But don’t worry, I won’t list them all. Instead, I've listed here the 20 most common Italian surnames, collected by people cognomix.it.
Rossi
Nearly 78,000 people share the title, making Rossi the most popular surname in Italy. It's so common that it's become the Italian version of “Smith,” the preferred name for average Italians. The surname Rosie may have originally been a nickname for someone with red hair or fair complexion. This is also a good example of how medieval surnames often took the plural form to represent not just one person, but their entire family.
Famous Rossi: singer Vasco Rossi, motorcycle champion Valentino Rossi and composer Gioachino Rossini.
Russo
Russo is another surname associated with the color red, whether it's the color of someone's hair or the color of the land they live on. It comes from the Latin word “Russus” which means – yes, you guessed it – “red”. It was originally used as a nickname and eventually became a surname, especially in the southern regions of Italy, with Campania and Sicily being Russian hotspots.
Famous Russell: Dancer Carmen Russell and boxer Clement Russell
ferrari
When you hear Ferrari, you probably think of a sleek red sports car speeding around a track. But did you know that the name actually comes from the blacksmith trade? This is called “faber ferrarius” in Latin, and that's how the surname Ferrari was born. It is particularly common in the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy.
Famous Ferraris: Enzo Ferrari, founder of the world-famous car brand, and actress Isabella Ferrari.
Esposito
The surname Esposito is derived from the Latin word “expositus,” meaning “to expose,” a word that reflects its poignant origins. This is the surname given to children who were abandoned at birth, often left in the “Wheel of Exposure,” a rotating wooden cylinder built into the side of the church. The device allows parents who are unable to care for their children to leave them anonymously.
Famous Espositos: Salvatore Esposito plays the notorious Genny Savastano in the hit TV series Gomorrah, while Maria Esposito She is famous for her role in another popular TV series “Mare Fuori”.
Bianchi
Bianchi is another common surname in Italian, especially in Lombardy. It originated as a nickname describing someone's white hair or pale complexion, or could be related to surrounding white elements, such as a whitewashed house.
Famous Bianches: 17th century painter Federico Bianchi and TV presenter Donatella Bianchi
Romano
As you might have guessed, Romano is all about Rome! This surname is especially common in southern Italy and comes from the Latin “Romanus” meaning “Roman” or “Roman”.
Famous Romans: Actor Sergio Romano and sculptor Adolfo Romano
colombo
The surname Colombo is derived from the Latin word “Colombo”, meaning “pure”, “innocent” or “gentle”, and the surname often refers to the abandoned babies of Milan's Maggiore hospital, which features a dove in its logo. Today, Colombo remains a common surname in northern Italy.
Famous Colombo: In the classic TV series “Colombo,” Cristoforo Colombo, the explorer who discovered America in 1492, and Tenente Colombo, the famous raincoat detective played by Peter Falk
Bruno
Bruno may have originally been a simple nickname for someone with dark hair or skin, but it became popular thanks to Saint Bruno of Cologne, the 11th-century monk and founder of the Carthusian order. Got some serious attention. His influence helped spread the surname throughout the Christian world.
Famous Brunos: Giordano Bruno, philosopher sentenced to death by the Inquisition for heresy
Matteo Ricci
The surname Ricci, very popular in Lazio, Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany, comes from the dialect term “rizzo” meaning curly or rough. There's no doubt it's a name with a personality, conjuring up images of wild curls or suggesting a somewhat prickly personality.
The famous Matteo Ricci: Actresses Sara Ricci and Elena Sofia Ricci and TV writer Antonio Ricci, the brains behind the satirical show “Striscia la Notizia”
marino
This Italian surname is derived from the Latin “marinus” meaning “of the sea” and may have originated as a descriptive name for an individual closely associated with marine life. It may have been given to those who lived near the sea or were engaged in seaside-related occupations, such as fishermen, sailors and sailors. Over time, it became a unique symbol of their heritage and way of life, symbolizing a lineage shaped by the rhythms of the ocean.
Famous sailors: Ignazio Marino served as mayor of Rome from 2013 to 2015.
Costa
The Italian surname Costa is derived from the Latin “costa” meaning “coast” or “side”, referring to the edge of a river, lake or mountain. So if your last name is Costa, your ancestors likely came from Italy's scenic coastal or mountainous regions. The name is especially common in Sicily, Veneto and Lombardy.
Famous Costas: Actress Leila Costa and journalist Francisco Costa.
Franco
The Italian surname Franco has two origins: it may refer to a person of French ancestry, or it may be related to the Germanic tribe known as the Franks. In the case of the latter, the name Franco also carries the connotation of “freedom”, since the Franks were the first to enjoy political rights under the Roman Empire.
Famous Franco: TV presenter Pipo Franco
gallo
The surname Gallo may have originally been a nickname for a person who kept roosters, or it could jokingly describe someone as naive, as “pollo” means “idiot” in Italian. It may also refer to a person with a sense of superiority, similar to the Italian phrase “essere il re del pollaio,” which means “king of the henhouse.” Alternatively, the name can be traced to the inhabitants of Gaul (now France). Its popularity was further boosted by the cult of Saint Gallo, an Irish monk.
Famous Garros: Massimiliano Gallo is best known for his role in the Italian TV series Imma Tatarani, set in Matera.
Conti
This popular Italian surname comes from the noble title “conte” or may have been a nickname for someone associated with the count, such as someone who served the count. Indeed, this surname suggests a bit of nobility!
Famous Cantis: Paolo Conti was a famous Italian goalkeeper in the 1970s and 1980s who was famous for playing without gloves, and TV presenter Carlo Conti will host the famous San Rei next year MO Music Festival.
Greco
The surname Greco has clear ethnic origins, referring to people from Greece or ancestors connected to the Greek community in southern Italy (the ancient region of Magna Graeco).
Famous Greeks: TV presenter Alessandro Greco comes from Taranto, the only Spartan colony outside Greece.
Martino
Martino is derived from the Latin “Martinus”, referring to Mars, the Roman god of war, symbolizing the ferocious spirit. It is also associated with Saint Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier who became one of the most popular saints in Christendom.
Famous Martino: Soprano Adriana Martino.
Giordano
The surname Giordano is common in Campania and is thought to be associated with the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. It is likely to be awarded to those with strong religious beliefs or ties to the church.
Famous Giordano: Paolo Giordano, author of the best-selling novel La Solitude dei Numeri Primi.
Rizzo
Rizzo, like the name Ricci, was originally a nickname for someone with curly hair – “riccio” in Italian. It is possible that the hair of the family ancestors was particularly curly!
Famous Rizos: The name Rizzo belongs to an Italian noble family originating in Naples and Sicily, who according to tradition are descendants of ancient Roman nobles.
Mancini
The surname comes from the Latin “mancus,” meaning “crippled” or “one-handed,” and was originally a nickname for those who used their left hand instead of their right. So, if you're part of the Mancini family, you're probably one of a long line of proud lefties!
Famous Mancinis: TV personality Alessia Mancini, Euro 2021 winning football coach Roberto Mancini, and one of the famous “Mazarinets” Maria Mancini, the French Sun King Louis X Four's favorite, niece of Italian Cardinal Mazzarri.
villa
The surname is derived from the Latin word “villa,” meaning “village, farm, or town.” So if your surname is Vera, your ancestors may have had strong links to country life or land ownership – perhaps they were the heart of a small community!
Famous villas: Singer Claudio Villa is best known for his unforgettable hit song “Un Amore So Grande”
Heather Broster is a graduate with honors in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, fluent in English and Italian, as well as varying degrees of fluency in Japanese, Welsh and French. Originally from Toronto, Heather has lived in several countries, notably Italy for six years. Her main research areas are language acquisition, education and bilingual teaching.
