Death announcements in Lecco. Note the surnames Turba (“disturbs”) and Barbagelata (“frozen beard”)
Sept 16, 2006
Il Corriere della Sera reports today that Italy has the largest number of surnames in the world: 350,000. The ten commonest surnames cover only 1% of the population. And, with many surnames, you can also tell something about its origins by its ending.
^ I assume this optical shop is named for its owner, whose surname means a joke or a trick.
Sept, 2003
Italian surnames are fascinating, and sometimes very funny. Some of the best don’t seem to have emigrated to the US, though Americans trying to pronounce their Italian surnames can also be funny. I met a photographer in Connecticutt with the wonderfully romantic surname “Mezzanotte” (Midnight). An Italian would pronounce this Med-za-NOT-tay, which also sounds lovely. He pronounced it Mezza-note, which doesn’t.
One of the most common surnames in Lombardy is Fumagalli, which translates literally as “smoke the chickens.” That is: blow smoke into the henhouse to stun them, so they don’t make noise while you’re carrying them away. I guess chicken thieving was common in Lombardy, hence the popular Italian saying, Conosco i miei polli (“I know my own chickens”), used when you can predict how someone will behave or react, because you know them so well.
I can’t think of examples of names in America which have a funny meaning, although some non-English names sound funny or rude to an English speaker, such as the Jewish Lipschitz or Indian Dixit (pronounced Dickshit). In Italy, there are many names which sound funny or odd even to Italian speakers, and leave you wondering how somebody’s ancestor acquired it. Examples:
- Squarcialupi – “squarciare” is to rip, with violence; “lupi” are wolves. Okay, the ancestor was a fierce hunter.
- On the other hand, Cantalupi – “cantare” – to sing. Sings with wolves?
- Pelagatti – “pelare” – to peel or skin, “gatti” …cats. Presumably this guy knew more than one way.
- Pelaratti – same thing, but rats. Now why would you bother?
Then there are the surnames which Italians fervently wish they could change, and go to great lengths to do so (it’s not easy to change a name in Italy), such as Finocchio – “Fennel,” but it’s also common slang for gay. Most red-blooded Italian males don’t want this one!
A friend of ours once worked in the office in Rome where name changes are (rarely) approved. He told us the most egregious case he ever came across was the name “Ficarotta” – broken cunt. The change was allowed.
^ This shop owner’s surname means “millet bread”.
More Funny Italian Surnames
- Malinconico – melancholy
- Mezzasalma – half-cadaver
- Tagliabue – ox-cutter (butcher, I suppose)
- Bellagamba – beautiful leg (there was a famous cardinal of this name)
- Caporaso – shaved head
- Denaro – money – a Mafia family in the news!
- Contestabile – debatable
- Falaguerra – make war
…but…
Acquistapace – buy peace - Accusato – accused
- Peccati – sins
- Bonanno – buon anno – good year, or happy new year
- Borriposi – buon riposi – good rests
^ “Queen Hope, widow of Wells” – she lived a good long life!
^ This architect’s surname means “big tower”.
^ “Macelleria Pancioni” would be literally translated as “big bellies butcher,” though Pancioni is probably a family name.
Nov 23, 2003
Many Italian surnames are also common words, so the potential for comedy is enormous when juxtaposed with the person’s profession, residence, or spouse. One of the funniest books we own is Mal Cognome Mezzo Gaudio, by Antonio di Stefano. The title is a pun on the saying Mal commune mezzo gaudio (A shared sorrow is half a joy); cognome means surname. The book is a treasure trove of funny names and even funnier combinations. But he missed one of my old favorites, a shop near my in-laws’ place in Rome called Enoteca Bevilacqua – the Drinkwater Wineshop.
Another name that’s funny on its own is Cazzaniga. This Lombard name may not actually mean anything, but it sounds close to cazzo negro – black dick. So there’s a common joke about it: Cazzaniga? Che nome lungo. (“What a long name.”)
Italian Orphan Names
see also: Geographic distribution of Italian surnames
One of my student’s last name, Testa, translation – head.
Ciao,
Firfst, I thought the name “Esposito” came from Latin “ex posito,” “from this place,” which gives the origin of the stress on the 2nd syllable. It was used for foundlings, the place being the religious order caring for the child. Next, long ago in Italy for a conference, Professor Bompiani asked me”what do they call you in America?” I answered “Cannonito.” “Nonsense,” he replyed, “they can’t say that!” He had a student named “Mangialaglio” whose name was pronounced in America as “Mang- leeya- agg-leo,” which convinced him Americans couldn’t pronounce Italian names, which, of course, they can’t . The student’s name is amusing.
I wonder: is there a general rule for American pronunciations of Italian names and words ending in -one? There’s Al Capone, Eddie Carbone, marscapone, ministrone, etc.–without a long e sound. I’ve never heard “Caponee” but I have heard “Carbonee”; I’ve heard marscapone and minestrone, where the last syllable rhymes with “tone.” But I also hear both words with the long-e ending (not the Italian pronunciation, with English long a).
Thanks for the help.
My grandfather’s name was Enrico Bacigalupo from Genoa. Any ideas about the origin of the name?
Steve
ne danno il doloroso annuncio , lieta e` la moglie e felice il figlio
ne danno il doloroso annuncio , lieta e` la moglie e felice il figlio
Hey, lovely list! One last name you have to add to your list is ‘DIOTALLEVI’, literally a prayer stating ‘may God raise you’. which was given to orphans especially after the wars in Italy which left many parentless children. LIke Esposito or Trovatello, it indicates that some ancestors were left to be raised by God’s mercy rather than by their parents.
One of my favorites was a police detective with the last name Tuttoilmondo.
My last name is Mancino. I hate when Americans pronounce it Man cee noh. It is pronounced Mahn chee no. My original last name was Mancuso, which means disabled/left handed. Left handed people were known as disabled back then, and were called mancuso’s. As you can imagine, my last name was changed to Mancino somewhere in the mix.
I really enjoyed this article. Before coming to America my great grandpas last name was Panichi. I’ve tried to come up with some meaning, but teh best I can think of is some regional (I assume from Abruzzo, since that’s where they’re from) version of baker. I’m not quite sure though. I also hate it when people pronouce it Pa-nee-chee, when it’s pa-nee-kee
My great grandfather was an orphan. His last name was Codino, meaning ‘the tail end’.
I went to high school with a guy last name of Malatesta. He said it meant “bad head,” or headache.
I am trying to find out the meaning of the surname Ghigliazza which is a Genova Name. Any tips how to find out? Thanks.
@9 Mancino is the italian word for “lefty”, Mancuso che southern dialect one, and is pronounced with a sweet c, as in China
@10 “Panichi” to me sounds like the plural of “panico”, which means “fear”, though the plural of panico doesn’t exist in italian.
The only other thing I can think about, is the scientific name of this plant (english wiki) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxtail_millet , (italian wiki) http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panicum_italicum
Is the name Peter for a surname, and Italian name.
Actually, in “Mal comune mezzo gaudio”, there is a single “m” in “comune”.
And I’ve never heard of the pun on Cazzaniga. I do not believe it’s so common as you think. But it’s true that the name sounds strange, and a little abusive to our italian ears!