There are over 300,000 Italian surnames and the origins are really very interesting. Have you ever thought about the origin of your Italian name? If so, I’d like to recommend the book “Our Italian Surnames” by Joseph G. Fucilla. While this book does not list all 300,000 Surnames, it does give us great insight into the evolution of both given names and surnames.
Our Italian Surnames covers every fact of Italian names and naming practices. It is here we discover, for example, that Bussolari is Italian for compass, Orsini means bear, and Passalacqua stands for butterfly. Besides given names and the evolution of Italian surnames, the book contains chapters devoted to pet names, botanical names, geographical names, bird names, insect names, occupational names, and more. Written for a popular audience, each chapter of the book is a separate and informative unit in itself. Complete with a list of sources and an index of more than 7,500 names, Our Italian Surnames is a monument to the late Professor Fucilla’s lifelong interest in the language and names of Italia.
Catch a quick idea about the book in the podcast below.
Did you know that there are over 300,000 Italian surnames! That’s more than any other country in the world. We have complied the top ten below. Chances are that your name is not in this group, but for those interested in learning more, the book above list 7,500. More importantly, we get great insight into the origin of surnames and given names. Click on the photo and enter IR2020 at checkout for a 20% discount.
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
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https://youtu.be/SoL6SHpUYJE Learn the practical steps for getting Italian citizenship while living in Italy and connecting…
https://youtu.be/TPQYicyAx6I Join our virtual roundtable as we discuss Italian genealogy and the methods for connecting with…
https://youtu.be/uX0V4TfuJyM?si=MPzqo2gJ6KClGRvN In this episode, we explore the fascinating history of Italy, focusing on Mussolini's rise…
https://youtu.be/V3hihj9vM60 In this episode, Juliana shares her experience with the NIAF trip to Italy, exploring…
https://youtu.be/5cuPhuvSXKI In this episode, Christine McBurney shares her journey of discovering her Italian roots later…
https://youtu.be/enklF7FzCpw Viviana Altieri, founder of the Italian radio and Istituto Mondo Italiano, shares her journey…