Origin and Etymology of Italian Surnames: F‑
The list includes a possible, or accepted, etymology of many Italian surnames, beginning with "F-", as well as, where data is available, their geographical or historical origin and current distribution.
Alphabetical Index
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Fabiani, Fabio
From the first name Fabio
Fabris
From the Latin word "faber" = blacksmith, craftsman.
Fabrizi, Fabrizio, Fabrizzi
From the first name Fabrizio, deriving from the Latin word "faber" = blacksmith, craftsman
Faggi, Faieta
From the word "faggio" = beech. Given to someone that lived nearby a wood or worked in the wood
Falasca, Falasco
From the dialect word "falasca" = a kind of straw
Falco, Falcone
From the first name Falco, derived from "falco" = hawk, used as a nickname
Falone
From a dialect word meaning row of grapes or tomato plants
Fanelli, Fanello
Probably from the Latin word "fanum" = temple or from a specie of birds that live on the beeches named "fanello"
Fanì
From the Arab word "faniqah" = bag, measure. Or from the Bizantin "Phanòs" = light, fire
Fantacci, Fantauzzi, Fantazzi, Fantazzini, Fante, Fanti, Fantinelli. Fantini, Fantolato, Fantolini, Fantoni, Fantozzi, Fantucci, Fantuzzi
From the medieval word "fante" = infant, boy
Farina, Farinaccio, Farinazzo, Farinelli, Farinetti, Farini, Farinola, Farinotti
From the word "farina" = flour. Given to someone that worked as a miller or a baker
Fasano, Fasciani
From the word "fagiano" = pheasant, given to a good hunter or to someone that lived in a place populated by pheasants. It could derive also from "fascia" = a long peace of land, to indicate the place where the family lives
Fassio
From the first name Fazio, derived from an other first name Bonifacio or Bonifazio already used in the 12th century
Fatica, Faticato
From the word "fatica" = labor, probably given to someone that worked hard
Fattore, Fattorelli, Fattorello, Fattoretti, Fattori, Fattorini
From the word "fattore" = who manages a farm. Derived from the job of the person
Fazio, Fazioli, Fazzini
From the first name Fazio, derived from an other first name Bonifacio or Bonifazio already used in the 12th century
Febbo, Febo
From the first name Febo, derived from the Greek adjective "phoibòs" = shining used for Apollo
Federici, Federico, Federigi, Federzoni, Fedrizzi
From the first name Federico, derived from the ancient German name Frithurik, composing of "frithu" = peace, friendship and "rikja" = lord, prince
Fegatello, Fegatilla, Fegatilli, Fegatillo
From the word "fegato" = liver, given to someone that used to cook the liver or used as a nickname to indicate a brave person
Fei
From the first name Feo, short name for Maffeo deriving from Matteo
Felice, Felici, Feliciani, Felicioni
From the word of Latin origin "felice" = happy
Fella, Felli, Fello
From the medieval adjective "fello" = cruel or also sad, probably used as a nickname
Fenocchio, Fenoglio, Fenoglietto
From the word "finocchio" = fennel, ancient nicknames to indicate places where the fennel grow up or the job of someone that picks up said vegetable
Feola, Feoli
From the first name Feo, short name for Maffeo deriving from Matteo
Fera
From the female Latin adjective "fera" = terrible, cruel, brave
Ferella, Ferelle, Ferla
From the female Latin adjective "fera" = terrible, cruel, brave
Ferrai
From the job "ferraro" = blacksmith
Ferrante, Ferrantelli, Ferrantello, Ferranti, Ferrantin, Ferrantino
From the ancient adjective "ferrante" = the red or the iron-grey color of the horse
Ferrara, Ferrarese, Ferraresi
From the name of the town of Ferrara
Ferrari, Ferrario, Ferraro, Ferreli, Ferreri, Ferrero
From the job "ferraro" = blacksmith
Ferrighi
From the first name Federico, derived from the ancient German name Frithurik, composing of "frithu" = peace, friendship and "rikja" = lord, prince
Fidanza, Fidanzi, Fidanzo
From the word "fidanza" = faith, trust, guarantee
Filippi, Filippone
From the first name Filippo
Finocchi, Finocchiaro, Finocchietti, Finocchio
From the word "finocchio" = fennel, ancient nicknames to indicate places where the fennels grow up or the job of someone that picks up said vegetable
Flora', Fiore, Fiorillo, Fiorito
From the word "fiore" = flower. Used as a name of good whishes
Flammia, Flammina, Flammini, Flammino
From the word "fiamma" = flame.
Probaly used as a nickname for someone that worked with the fire or to a person with red hair
Flaviani, Flavii
From the first name Flavio, deriving from the Roman family name Flavius that comes from the Latin adjective "flavus" = blond
Foglia
From the word "foglia" = leaf, or derived from the Latin first name "Fullius"
Fonsato, Fonsatti, Fonzi
From the first name Alfonso
Forcella
From the Latin word "furca": fork, bifurcation
Fornarini, Fornaris, Fornaro, Fornarola, Fornarotti, Fornero
From the word "fornaio" = baker
Forte, Forti, Fortini, Fortis, Fortuzzi
From the adjective "forte" = strong
Foschi
From the Latin name "Fuscus" meaning dark, dark hair. In Calabria and Campania it derives from the name of a place, ej: Fuscaldo (CS) or Fuscoli (NA)
Fracassa, Fracassetti, Fracassi, Fracasso
From the word "fracasso" = big noise or from the verb "fracassare" = to destroy
Francescato, Franceschinelli, Franceschi, Franceschini, Francesconi, Francescotti, Franchi, Franci, Francisci, Franza, Franzi
From the Latin word "Franciscus" = inhabitant of France
Fratangeli, Fratangelo, Frate
From the word "frate", diminutive of "fratello" = brother, friar. To indicate the people that lived or worked in a convent
Fratta
From the word "fratta"= hedge, to indicate a family that lives near a hedge
Frentani
From the ancient italic population of the Frentani
Frigato, Frighi, Frigo, Frizzarin, Frizzera, Frizzi, Frizzotti
From the first name Federico, derived from the ancient German name Frithurik, composing of "frithu" = peace, friendship and "rikja" = lord, prince
Fumagalli
Derives from a nickname consisting of the verb "fumare" (=smoke) and the noun "gallo" (=chicken), meaning thief of chicken, since smoke made from wet leaves and sulphur was used to prevent chicken from making noise.
Fuscaldo
Most probably a toponimic from a commune in the province of Cosenza, for which two different etymologies were suggested:
- from the Latin "fons calidus" (=hot spring), referring to the presence of thermal springs in the area;
- from the medieval first name "Foscoaldus", mentioned in the "Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis" dated 872 AD, where a party in a purchase is reported as Aloysius son of Foscoaldi.
Fuscoli
Most probably a toponimic from Fuscoli (originally Fuscolo) near Naples, where remains of ancient Roman villas were found, which may suggest that the place took its name from some Roman family with the Fuscus cognomen.
Fusco, Fuschino
From the Latin name "Fuscus" meaning dark, dark hair. It appeared as a "cognomen" already in Roman times:
- Marcus Aristius Fuscus was a poet, grammarian, playwright and philologist of the 1st century BC, known as a friend of poet Quintus Horatius Flaccus (better known as Horace);
- Arellius Fuscus, a rhetor at the time of Augustus, skilled in Latin and in Greek, who had philosopher Papirius Fabianus and Ovid as disciples;
- Cornelius Fuscus (died 86 AD), was a Roman general who fought campaigns under the Emperors of the Flavian dynasty;
- Tiberius Manilius Fuscus (163-225) was a Roman politician;
- Lucius Lelius Fuscus, was a centurion in the 1st century AD;
- along the Via Appia Antica, near the fourth mile to the southeast of Rome, there is a famous funerary monument, the Tomb of Hilarus Fuscus.
Fusilli
From the word "fuso" = spindle, possibly as a nickname for a slender body, or from a profession in the textile trade. It also refers to the name of a kind of helicoidal pasta.
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