All Italian surnames or last names have their origin and the way your Italian surname is spelt can tell you a whole lot about where your family is from.
For instance, Italian surnames that end in -o come from southern Italy, but names ending in -a or -i generally come from the north.
It is interesting to know also that, many Italian last names originated from nicknames. Rossi, which is the most common surname in Italy, means “redhead.” Franco, or Betto are other nicknames.
They could also come from an ancestor’s first name. This is why there are names like d’Alberto or d’Angelo, which sound a little like first names but are typically surnames.
Then there are last names that come from geographical areas or where a family is from like Di Genova or Napolitano. There are some that describe an occupation like Carpenteri, which means carpenter.
If you are interested in knowing the different last names in Italy and their meaning, here is a well-compiled list of the most common Italian surnames.
Most common Italian last names
| Numbers | Italian last names | Meaning |
| 1 | Armani | Man of force |
| 2 | Ferraro or Ferrari | Blacksmith |
| 3 | Capone | Arrogant |
| 4 | Di Maggio | Eldest son |
| 5 | Pacino | Peace |
| 6 | Argento | Silver or Grey-haired |
| 7 | Vitale | Life |
| 8 | Romano or Romani | Roman |
| 9 | Bianco | White |
| 10 | De Niro | Of black or Dark hair |
| 11 | Leto | Joyful |
| 12 | Valentino | Healthy |
| 13 | Lastra | Flat slab of rock |
| 14 | Saccone | A maker of sacks and bags |
| 15 | Allegro | Brisk tempo |
| 16 | Amato | Beloved |
| 17 | Fiorentino | A person from Florence |
| 18 | Agosti | Favoured with good omens |
| 19 | Milanesi | A person from Milan |
| 20 | Russo | Redhead |
| 21 | Bruno | Brown |
| 22 | Accetta | Welcome or well-liked |
| 23 | Baio | Horse |
| 24 | Barone | Bravery or Courage |
| 25 | Esposito | Exposed |
| 26 | Mancini | Left-handed |
| 27 | Gallo | Rooster |
| 28 | De Luca | Son of Luca |
| 29 | Abate | Priest |
| 30 | Accardo | Edge of a sword |
| 31 | Aloisio | Famous warrior |
| 32 | Acquaviva | Living water |
| 33 | Accomando | German shepherd dog |
| 34 | Aceto | Vinegar |
| 35 | Acierno | Of steel |
| 36 | Altadonna | High lady or Tall woman |
| 37 | Altamura | High walls |
| 38 | Abano | Water |
| 39 | Abbandonato | Forsaken or Abandoned |
| 40 | Zabatino | Saturday |
| 41 | Zara | Person from the city of Zadra |
| 42 | Tarantino | A person from Taranto |
| 43 | Pesci | Fisherman |
| 44 | Morelli | A person of dark complexion |
| 45 | Giuliani | Youthful |
| 46 | D’Angelo or D’Angeli | Messenger or angel |
| 47 | Bruni | The colour brown |
| 48 | Caputo | Large-headed |
| 49 | Manzo | A person resembling an ox |
| 50 | De Rossi | Red-haired |
