Common Italian Last Names: A Comprehensive Guide

Looking for common Italian last names? Whether you're researching your family history, writing a fictional character, or simply curious about Italian naming traditions, this comprehensive guide will provide you with a wealth of information. Italian last names, also known as cognomi, are rich in history and meaning, often reflecting the origins and occupations of their bearers. Explore this list of frequently encountered Italian last names and uncover their fascinating stories.
1. **Abate:** meaning "abbot" or "father", often indicating a religious affiliation or connection to a monastery.
2. **Amato:** meaning "beloved" or "loved", reflecting a cherished or admired individual.
3. **Andreotti:** meaning "little Andrew," a diminutive form of the name Andrew, often used as a nickname or a familial name.
4. **Angelini:** meaning "little angel," a diminutive form of the name Angelo, often used as a nickname or a familial name.
5. **Anselmi:** meaning "follower of Anselm," referring to Saint Anselm, an important figure in medieval Christianity.
6. **Barbieri:** meaning "barber," indicating an occupation related to hairdressing and shaving.
7. **Bellini:** meaning "beautiful," describing someone with pleasing features or a pleasant personality.
8. **Benelli:** meaning "good," indicating a positive character trait or a good reputation.
9. **Bertolucci:** meaning "from the small hill," referencing a geographic location or origin.
10. **Bianchi:** meaning "white," possibly referencing a person's hair or complexion or indicating a geographical feature.
11. **Bocelli:** meaning "from the mouth of the river," referencing a geographical location or origin.
12. **Bonetti:** meaning "little good," a diminutive form of the name Bonito, indicating a positive characteristic.
13. **Bordoni:** meaning "from the edge," referencing a geographic location or a boundary.
14. **Boschi:** meaning "woods," referencing a geographic feature or origin.
15. **Botticelli:** meaning "little barrel," possibly referencing a container or a person's physique.
16. **Bruno:** meaning "brown," referencing a person's hair or complexion.
17. **Calabresi:** meaning "from Calabria," indicating a person's origin from the region of Calabria in southern Italy.
18. **Campanella:** meaning "little bell," possibly referencing a tool or a person's sound.
19. **Cannata:** meaning "from the hemp field," referencing a geographic feature or origin.
20. **Capelli:** meaning "hair," referring to a person's physical characteristic or a person's occupation.
21. **Caruso:** meaning "dear," indicating affection or endearment.
22. **Casanova:** meaning "from the house of the Casali," referring to a specific family or origin.
23. **Castellani:** meaning "from the castle," indicating a person's origin from a location with a castle.
24. **Cattaneo:** meaning "cat," possibly referencing a pet or a person's character trait.
25. **Cecchi:** meaning "blind," possibly referencing a physical disability or a person's nickname.
26. **Celentano:** meaning "from the sky," referencing a geographical location or a person's aspirations.
27. **Chiaramonte:** meaning "clear mountain," referencing a geographical feature or origin.
28. **Coletti:** meaning "from the neck," referencing a person's physical characteristic or origin.
29. **Conti:** meaning "counts," indicating a person's noble lineage or title.
30. **Corsi:** meaning "courteous," indicating a person's character or behavior.
31. **D'Agostino:** meaning "son of Agostino," indicating a patronymic relationship.
32. **D'Ambrosio:** meaning "son of Ambrose," indicating a patronymic relationship.
33. **D'Anna:** meaning "son of Anna," indicating a patronymic relationship.
34. **De Angelis:** meaning "of the angels," referencing a spiritual or heavenly connection.
35. **De Luca:** meaning "from Lucca," indicating a person's origin from the city of Lucca.
36. **Del Vecchio:** meaning "of the old," referencing a person's lineage or ancestry.
37. **De Rossi:** meaning "of the red," referencing a person's hair or complexion or a geographical feature.
38. **Di Francesco:** meaning "son of Francis," indicating a patronymic relationship.
39. **Di Lorenzo:** meaning "son of Lorenzo," indicating a patronymic relationship.
40. **Di Marco:** meaning "son of Mark," indicating a patronymic relationship.
41. **Donati:** meaning "given," indicating a person's character or origin.
42. **Ferrari:** meaning "blacksmith," indicating a person's occupation.
43. **Fiore:** meaning "flower," referencing a person's beauty or a symbol of hope.
44. **Forte:** meaning "strong," indicating a person's physical or mental strength.
45. **Franceschi:** meaning "from France," indicating a person's origin from France.
46. **Gallo:** meaning "rooster," possibly referencing a person's nickname or character trait.
47. **Gargano:** meaning "hooked," possibly referencing a geographic feature or a person's appearance.
48. **Gatti:** meaning "cats," possibly referencing a pet or a person's character trait.
49. **Gentile:** meaning "gentle," indicating a person's character or behavior.
50. **Giordano:** meaning "descendant of Jordan," referencing a biblical figure or a geographic location.
51. **Giuliani:** meaning "from Julius," referencing a person's origin or a historical figure.
52. **Goretti:** meaning "from the small forest," referencing a geographic location or origin.
53. **Grasso:** meaning "fat," referencing a person's physique or a person's nickname.
54. **Guidi:** meaning "guide," indicating a person's occupation or character trait.
55. **Iacono:** meaning "from the little oak," referencing a geographic feature or origin.
56. **La Rocca:** meaning "from the rock," referencing a geographic feature or origin.
57. **Lanza:** meaning "lance," possibly referencing a weapon or a person's occupation.
58. **Leonardi:** meaning "descendant of Leonard," indicating a patronymic relationship.
59. **Levi:** meaning "joined," referencing a person's origin or a religious connection.
60. **Libero:** meaning "free," indicating a person's status or a person's character trait.
61. **Lucci:** meaning "lights," possibly referencing a person's occupation or a person's nickname.
62. **Lucidi:** meaning "bright," indicating a person's character or intelligence.
63. **Lupo:** meaning "wolf," possibly referencing a person's nickname or character trait.
64. **Mastro:** meaning "master," indicating a person's occupation or skill.
65. **Mazza:** meaning "hammer," possibly referencing a tool or a person's occupation.
66. **Meloni:** meaning "melons," possibly referencing a fruit or a person's nickname.
67. **Merli:** meaning "blackbirds," possibly referencing a bird or a person's nickname.
68. **Micheli:** meaning "from Michael," referencing a person's origin or a historical figure.
69. **Milano:** meaning "from Milan," indicating a person's origin from the city of Milan.
70. **Minetti:** meaning "little mine," possibly referencing a geographical feature or a person's occupation.
71. **Moretti:** meaning "little dark," a diminutive form of the name Morello, indicating a person's hair or complexion.
72. **Nardi:** meaning "brave," indicating a person's character or behavior.
73. **Neri:** meaning "black," referencing a person's hair or complexion.
74. **Nobile:** meaning "noble," indicating a person's lineage or title.
75. **Novara:** meaning "new city," referencing a person's origin from the city of Novara.
76. **Oliveri:** meaning "olive tree," referencing a geographical feature or origin.
77. **Orlando:** meaning "famous," indicating a person's renown or reputation.
78. **Pagano:** meaning "pagan," referencing a person's religion or a person's origin.
79. **Palmieri:** meaning "from the palm tree," referencing a geographical feature or origin.
80. **Panetta:** meaning "little bread," possibly referencing a food or a person's nickname.
81. **Parente:** meaning "relative," indicating a person's familial relationship.
82. **Paterno:** meaning "from the father," referencing a person's origin or a person's role.
83. **Pellegrini:** meaning "pilgrim," indicating a person's religious connection or a person's travels.
84. **Perotti:** meaning "small pear," possibly referencing a fruit or a person's nickname.
85. **Piccini:** meaning "little," a diminutive form of the name Pietro, indicating a person's size or age.
86. **Pierini:** meaning "from Peter," referencing a person's origin or a historical figure.
87. **Pinotti:** meaning "little pine," possibly referencing a tree or a person's nickname.
88. **Pirozzi:** meaning "from the pear tree," referencing a geographic feature or origin.
89. **Polito:** meaning "polished," indicating a person's character or appearance.
90. **Pompili:** meaning "pompous," indicating a person's character or behavior.
91. **Porcelli:** meaning "piglets," possibly referencing a farm animal or a person's nickname.
92. **Quattrone:** meaning "four," referencing a number or a person's nickname.
93. **Rinaldi:** meaning "from the river," referencing a geographic feature or origin.
94. **Rizzo:** meaning "curly hair," referencing a person's physical characteristic.
95. **Romani:** meaning "from Rome," indicating a person's origin from the city of Rome.
96. **Rossi:** meaning "red," referencing a person's hair or complexion.
97. **Russo:** meaning "red," referencing a person's hair or complexion.
98. **Salvatore:** meaning "savior," referencing a person's religious belief or a person's character trait.
99. **Sartori:** meaning "tailor," indicating a person's occupation.
100. **Scaletti:** meaning "little ladder," possibly referencing a tool or a person's nickname.
101. **Schiavone:** meaning "Slav," indicating a person's origin or a person's ethnicity.
102. **Serra:** meaning "saw," possibly referencing a tool or a person's occupation.
103. **Signorelli:** meaning "little lord," a diminutive form of the name Signore, indicating a person's rank or status.
104. **Silvestri:** meaning "from the forest," referencing a geographic feature or origin.
105. **Smiriglio:** meaning "emery," referencing a material or a person's occupation.
106. **Sorrentino:** meaning "from the Sorrento," indicating a person's origin from the city of Sorrento.
107. **Spinelli:** meaning "thorns," possibly referencing a plant or a person's character trait.
108. **Stefanelli:** meaning "little Stephen," a diminutive form of the name Stefano, indicating a person's size or age.
109. **Testa:** meaning "head," referencing a person's physical characteristic or a person's character trait.
110. **Tosti:** meaning "roasted," possibly referencing a food or a person's nickname.
111. **Travaglini:** meaning "from the crossing," referencing a geographic location or a person's travel.
112. **Tucci:** meaning "from the pigsty," referencing a geographic feature or a person's occupation.
113. **Valenti:** meaning "strong," indicating a person's character or behavior.
114. **Vanzetti:** meaning "little Vanzo," a diminutive form of the name Vanzo, possibly referencing a person's size or age.
115. **Vassallo:** meaning "vassal," indicating a person's feudal status or a person's role.
116. **Vecchio:** meaning "old," referencing a person's age or a person's lineage.
117. **Ventura:** meaning "fortune," indicating a person's luck or a person's character trait.
118. **Verdi:** meaning "green," referencing a person's hair or complexion or a geographical feature.
119. **Villani:** meaning "from the village," indicating a person's origin from a small town or settlement.
120. **Vinci:** meaning "to conquer," indicating a person's character or achievements.
121. **Vitale:** meaning "life," referencing a person's vitality or a person's character trait.
122. **Zito:** meaning "citizen," indicating a person's status or a person's role.
123. **Zucchi:** meaning "sugar," possibly referencing a food or a person's nickname.