Neapolitan surnames are those that come from the city and surrounding area of Naples, in the region of Campania, Italy. They frequently indicate a relationship to the city (such as Napolitano) or the Neapolitan language and culture. Neapolitan surnames are also spread worldwide due to widespread emigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from Naples and southern Italy to the Americas, particularly the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Argentina.
History of Neapolitan surnamesHistory of Neapolitan surnames
As in the rest of Italy, Neapolitan surnames didn't start to reappear until the Middle Ages. Only members of the upper classes, such as nobles and affluent merchants, used surnames during this time. A person's work, location of birth, or a personal trait, like hair color or physical attributes, were frequently the sources of their surname. For instance, the surname Rossi means "red" and was frequently used to refer to people with red hair. The usage of surnames started to extend to other socioeconomic strata in the 13th century and was eventually made necessary by the Council of Trent in 1564.[1]
Neapolitan surnames naming conventionsNeapolitan surnames naming conventions
The historical Kingdom of Naples, which included Naples and Campania, is the source of Neapolitan surnames. Its impact is frequently felt in southern Lazio, Basilicata, and portions of Apulia. Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Normans, Spanish, and French kings have all inhabited this region, leaving a lasting mark on naming practices. Numerous Neapolitan surnames retain Romanesque forms, dialectal variations, and names derived from regional saints, towns, and professions.
Neapolitan names usually combine a given name with a single surname in accordance with traditional Italian naming conventions. Neapolitan surnames come from a variety of sources, including patronymics (surnames derived from a family name), occupational names (for example, Ferrari for a blacksmith), descriptive names (for example, Basso for someone of low stature), and locational names (for example, Romano for someone from Rome). Numerous names in Campania and throughout Southern Italy end with a vowel, and some old surnames contain the possessive dei (of the). Surnames were commonly adopted starting in the late medieval period, with notable regional variations emerging.
Types of Neapolitan surnamesTypes of Neapolitan surnames
Neapolitan surnames of patronymic originNeapolitan surnames of patronymic origin
These are derived from first names, often using regional suffixes like -ino, -one, -etti, -iello:
- Esposito – especially notable for being tied to the Ospedale degli Innocenti system for foundlings. It is among the most common surnames in Naples.
- De Luca – “son of Luca”
- Di Giovanni – “son of Giovanni” (John)
- Iannuzzi – from Giovanni (dialectal form)
- Raimondo – from a medieval given name
- Giuliano – from Giuliano (Julian)
- Ciro – from Saint Ciro, widely venerated in Naples
Neapolitan surnames of toponymic originNeapolitan surnames of toponymic origin
These surnames often point to a town, region, or geographic feature:
- Napolitano – “from Naples”
- Avellino – from the town in Campania
- Caserta – from the nearby city
- Pompei – referencing the ancient city
- Torre / Della Torre – “from the tower”
- Del Monte – “of the mountain”
- Santoro – associated with “All Saints,” but also linked to places named San or Santo
Neapolitan surnames of occupational originNeapolitan surnames of occupational origin
Rooted in medieval trades and professions, sometimes with local pronunciation:
Neapolitan surnames of descriptive originNeapolitan surnames of descriptive origin
.jpg)
These refer to physical traits, personality, or characteristic quirks, often expressed in dialect:
- Basso – “short”
- Mancini – “left-handed”
- Greco – “the Greek,” referring to Greek ancestry or origins
- Russo – “red-haired” or “ruddy,” one of Italy’s most common surnames
- Longobardi – “Lombard,” referencing northern origin or appearance
- Pecoraro – from pecora (sheep); “sheep herder”
- Fiore – “flower,” possibly a descriptive or symbolic name
- Tufano – possibly from tufo, the volcanic stone of the region
- Amodio – from Amadeus, “lover of God,” with deep southern roots
Neapolitan surnames of aristocratic originNeapolitan surnames of aristocratic origin
Some surnames trace back to feudal families, bishops, or scholarly families of Naples:
- Caracciolo – a noble family from Naples
- Pignatelli – aristocratic family name; also used among clergy
- Sanseverino – old noble lineage from Campania
- Del Giudice – “of the judge,” often indicating nobility or legal status
- D’Avalos – noble family with Aragonese-Spanish roots
- Gaetani – from Gaeta, a noble lineage
Most common Neapolitan surnamesMost common Neapolitan surnames
Celebrities with Neapolitan surnamesCelebrities with Neapolitan surnames
- Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone, better known as Sophia Loren - Italian actress, active in her native country and the United States. With a career spanning over 70 years, she is one of the last surviving major stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood cinema
- Alphonse Gabriel Capone - sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1925 to 1931
- Fabio Cannavaro - Italian professional football coach and former player who last was the head coach of Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb. He is regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time
- Sofia Coppola - American filmmaker and former actress who has won an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, a Golden Lion, and a Cannes Film Festival Award. She was also nominated for three BAFTA Awards, as well as a Primetime Emmy Award.
- Agostino "Dino" De Laurentiis - Italian-American film producer who brought Italian cinema to the international scene in the post-World War II period. He produced or co-produced over 500 films, with 38 of his Hollywood films receiving Academy Award nominations.
- Achille Lauro - Italian businessman and politician. He is widely considered one of the main precursors of modern populism in Italian politics
See alsoSee also
- Italian surnames
- Sicilian surnames
- Apulian surnames
- Ligurian surnames
- Arabic surnames
- Sanmarinese surnames
- Monegasque surnames
- Greek surnames
- Portuguese surnames
- Sephardic Jewish surnames
- Latvian surnames
- Lithuanian surnames
- Ashkenazi Jewish surnames
- Chinese surnames
- Italian American surnames
- Indian surnames
- Silesian surnames
- Venetian surnames
- Friulan surnames
- Welsh surnames
- Lombard surnames
- Corsican surnames
- Catalonian surnames
- American surnames
- Irish surnames
- French surnames
- Dutch surnames
Explore more about Neapolitan surnamesExplore more about Neapolitan surnames
- Discover the origin of your last name at MyHeritage
- Italy - Collection Catalog at MyHeritage
- Italian Surnames: Uncovering the Rich Heritage of the Zeppetelli Family on the MyHeritage blog
- Fox and Friends’ Jedediah Bila’s Family History Revealed on the MyHeritage blog