Italian surnames are rich in variety, and the region of origin often shows in the name. Italy was unified only in 1861, so many families identified with a town or province first.
Recognising the patterns
- Endings in -i are plural and common in the north and centre: Rossi, Bianchi, Ferrari, Russo (southern form). Endings in -o and -a are more common in the south: Esposito, Romano, Greco.
- Patronymic forms: De Luca, Di Marco, D'Angelo, De Santis.
- Trades: Ferrari and Ferraro (smith), Sarto (tailor), Molinari (miller), Pastore (shepherd).
- Places: Romano, Napolitano, Lombardi, Genovese, Calabrese.
Spelling in America
In American records, Italian names were often respelt. Double consonants disappear, Di and De are attached to or separated from the name (DiMarco, Di Marco, De Marco), and apostrophes are dropped.
Records
Civil registration began in most of Italy around 1866, with earlier records for some territories under Napoleonic rule. Before that, parish registers hold baptisms, marriages and burials. You will usually need the comune, the town, which often appears on naturalisation papers, passenger lists and draft cards. Most records are held by the comune or the state archives.
Browse Italian-origin surnames to check the name types.