Best Italian Surname Search is an update from a our previous post from March 3. Updated with some new information. I attempted to find mostly free ones, but a couple may ask for sign up.
This is a really cool site as it gives the origin for your name, also variations and popularity in the US — Behind the Name
This is a pretty neat one as it shows the map of Italy with the names by region, heat map style — Brilliant Maps
This one gives a heat map in a different style, and other countries as well — Italian Surname Map
One more map, in a different style — Italian Names
Surnames by region, type in a surname for the region and you get a list, you can also get the list of the most common names in a region — Italian Surnames
This site gives a list of names by region also — Italy Heritage
Italian Side gives you location and pronunciation — Italian Side
Seven facts about Italian surnames from Ancestry.com — Ancestry Italian Surnames
Interesting article on the origin of Italian Surnames ( over 1,000,000 )– La Gazzetta
Extensive Italian Surname Searches from BYU — BYU Italian List
Brief article on Italian Surname Searches from Ancestral Findings
The ten most common Italian Surname searches in the US
1. Russo (45,787 people)
2. Marino (26,789 people)
3. Romano (24,280 people)
4. Rossi (23,879 people)
5. Bruno (22,917 people)
6. Esposito (21,438 people)
7. Caruso (19,400 people)
8. Rizzo (17,368 people)
9. Gallo (16,937 people)
10. Greco (16,178 people)
Some good articles
Interesting article on where women cannot take there husbands surname Time
The 20 most popular names from the Hipster Historian. No surprise the names above are included, but he gives the meaning.
History of Emilia Romagna Italy
Some of the most familiar provinces in Italy are found in Emilia Romagna. For example, Bologna, Ferrara, Modena, Parma and Rimini. I have several ancestors that have their roots in this region. Such as, the Dukes of Ferrara and the D’Este and Farnese families. You can read more about them lower in this post. Emilia-Romagna Emilia-Romagna: cultivated fieldsCultivated fields near Brescello, Emilia-Romagna regione, Italy.Szeder László Bologna: Palazzo del PodestàPalazzo del Podestà (left) and Palazzo dei
History of Campania Italy
I have been researching the history of Campania Italy for over ten years as this is one of the two regions that my family comes from. Both of my father’s parents are from Naples, and I have traced my grandmother’s family back centuries. I’ve been their once and hope to go back again soon. Both of my grand mother’s families are listed in the Nobilita Napolitana. The Caracciolo’s and Piromallo’s lived on or near Via
History of Sicily Italy
My connection to Sicily is interesting. While not really Sicilian, many of my ancestors had some hand in ruling there, either directly of indirectly. For example, the Hauteville, Hohenstaufen, Angevin French, the Argagonese and Spanish Hapsburgs are all part of my family tree going back almost 1000 years. Also, my wife’s mom is from Sciaccia, and her family is Proietto, Baldasanno, DeMino, Gelardi and some Cusumano. Reading through the history, it’s not surprising that when
History of Puglia Italy
My mom’s family if from Toritto and Acquaviva Delle Fonti, Bari. Although, I do have come ancient de Hautville ancestors from the region on my dad’s side. My uncle Giovanni stayed behind when my grandparents came to America, and raised his family there until the late 1940’s. My cousins have an interview that they did with him in Barese and I hope to someday have that translation. My great grandfather, Francesco, owned a cow and
History of Lombardy Italy
My roots go back to two important families in the region. The Sforza family and the Gonzaga family. Lombardy The resort town of Bellagio on Lake Como, Lombardy, Italy.© Index Open Lombardy, Italian Lombardia, regioneof northern Italy. It is bordered on the north by Switzerland and by the Italian regioniof Emilia-Romagna(south), Trentino–Alto Adige and Veneto (east), and Piedmont (west). Administratively, Lombardy consists of the provincieof Bergamo, Brescia, Como, Cremona, Lecco, Lodi, Mantova, Milano, Monza e Brianza, Pavia,
History of Calabria Italy
Little did I know, that when I began my family research, that I would have ancestors from Calabria. The Piromallo family was originally from Barcelona, Spain and eventually move to Naples. The “capostipite” or founder of the family was Count Domenico Piromallo, who died heroically, as commander of the Castle of Crotone in 1528. There’s not too much history to be found on the family until Francesco Antonio purchased Barony of Montebello in 1755 from
Thanks for linking my post!
No problem. Thanks for the great list.
you are not correct in some of your meanings
Many have multiple meanings. I tried to pick the best ones. Feel free to reply with corrections, I would be happy to amend.