Origin and Etymology of Italian Surnames: B‑
The list includes a possible, or accepted, etymology of many Italian surnames, beginning with "B-", as well as, where data is available, their geographical or historical origin and current distribution.
Alphabetical Index
[ Ab ] [ An ] [ B ] [ C ] [ Da ] [ De ] [ Dia ] [ Din ] [ Do ] [ E ] [ F ] [ G ] [ I ] [ J ] [ L ] [ M ] [ N ] [ O ] [ P ] [ Q ] [ R ] [ S ] [ T ] [ U ] [ V ] [ Z ]
Bacco
From the Latin first name "Bacchus", god of wine. Probably to indicate someone that worked in a vineyard or connected to the wine trade.
Badia, Badiale
Baggi, Baggini, Baggio, Bagini
Toponimic, from the town of Baggio, near Milan.
Bagnaschi, Bagnasco
Toponimic, from the town of Bagnasco
Bagnoli
Possibly originary of Bagnoli
Bagli, Baglietti, Baglioni
From "balivo", a kind of bailiff.
Balbi, Balbo
From the Latin balbus (balbuziente)
Baldassarre, Balzaretti, Balzarini, Balzarotti
Patronimic, from the first name Baldassarre of Hebrew origin
Baldi, Baldini, Baldissera, Baldo, Balducci, Balduccio
From the first name Baldo, of German origin
Balestra, Balestrini, Balestrieri
Connected to the profession of crossbow maker or soldier.
Ballarini, Ballarino, Ballerini, Ballerino
From a nickname connected to ability in dancing.
Baliva, Balivo
Connected to the job of bailiff
Balsamo
From the first name Balsamus.
Baranelli, Baranello
From the place of origin, in Molise
Banderali
From bandiera = flag, connected to aprofession or military role as flag bearer
Bandini, Bandino
Patronymic, from Bandus and Bandinus.
Baracca
Either from the German baro, meaning freeman or from the celtic bar, tree branch, for someone who lived in a hut
Baraldi, Baraldo
From the Lombard name Baraldus deriving from baro (freeman) and wald (strong).
Baratti, Barattieri, Baratto
Levantino. Derived from baratto = barter, possibly used for a merchant
Barba, Barbato, Barbini
From the word "barba", menaing beard.
Barbareschi, Barbaresco , Barbari
From barbarian or "berbero" (used for the Saracens)
Barberi, Barberia, Barberio, Barberis, Barbero, Barbieri, Barbiero
Some possible etymologies: from the job of barber, or as a corruption of barbarian or "berbero" (used for the Saracens)
Barilaro, Barilati, Barile, Barili, Barilla, Barilli
From the word barile (barrel) or connected to the ancient Barile family, a branch of the Counts of Marsi
Barnaba, Barnabei, Barnabeo, Barnabo'
From the first name Barnaba.
Barone, Baroni, Baroncini
Possibly a nickname from the word "baron" derived from the ancient German baro menaing freeman.
Barrile
See Barile
Bartolomeo, Bartali, Bartolini, Bartolotti, Bartoli
From the first name Bartolomeo, derived from the Aramaic name "Barthalmay" = son ("bar") of Tolmai
Basile
Patronymic from the first name Basilius of Greek origin.
Bassi, Basso
A nickname from the adjectibe basso meaning short
Bastiani
Patronymic from the first name (Se)bastiano .
Battaglia, Battaglini, Battaglino
A nickname from the word battaglia, meaning "battle" possibly connected to a psychological trait or battles fought in the remote past.
Bastianello, Bastiani, Bastianini
From Bastiano diminutive of the Latin first name Sebastianus.
Battista, Battisti
From the first name Battista
Baudi, Baudo
A diminutive form of one of the many names having as final suffix -baldus, from the German bald (courageous).
Beccaria, Beccarini
Probably from the job of beccaro (macellaio).
Becci
A nickname from the adjectibe becciu (vecchio) meaning old.
Bedin, Bedini, Bedino
Probably from the Norman name Beda, or the Celtic name Betha
Bedoni ?
Possibly from the word betun (fango), or probably derived from a Francese bedon (grasso), meaning fat.
Bella
A nickname from the medieval name Bello
Bellanda, Bellani, Bellato, Belleri, Bellesi
From the adjectibe bello, meaning beautyful, probably was a nickname to identify a handsome man
Bellante, Bellanti
Originary of Bellante, in the province of Teramo
Bello, Belli, Bellini, Bellucci
Probably was a nickname to identify a handsome man
Bellinzoni ?
Probably from the toponimic "ticinese" Bellinzona
Bellocchio
Meaning "beautyful eyes" possibly originarily a nickname
Bellomi, Bellomo
Meaning "handsome man" possibly originarily a nickname
Belloni, Belloti, Bellotti
A nickname originary from adjectibe bello, used to identify a handsome man, or derived from the medieval name Bellotto.
Beltrame, Beltrami, Beltramini, Bertagnoli, Bertarelli, Bertarini, Bertatini, Bertini, Bertotti, Bertotto, Bertuglia, Bertuzzi, Bette', Betti, Bettin, Bettinelli
Probably from a Germanic name bertha (luminoso) or Celtic name bert (portatore)
Bencivenga, Bencivenni
Bencivenga is typical name of Napoli and Bencivenni is of Bologna, derived from the medieval name Bencivenga or Bencivenni
Benedetti, Benedetto, Benetti
From the Latin verb "benedicere", to bless. The name Benedetto became very popular during the Middle Ages thanks to San Benedetto from Norcia who founded the Benedictine Order
Benigno
Probably from the Latin name Benignus
Bennato
From the medieval name Benenatus
Benvenuti, Benvenuto
A nickneme from the goodwish Medieval name "Benvenutus"
Berardi, Berardo, Berarducci, Bernardi
Bergamaschi, Bergamasco, Bergomi
Probably from the toponimic Bergamo
Berlinguer
From the Germanic Medieval name Berengar (Berengario)
Berlusconi
Probably from milanese word berlusch (strabico, storto)
Bergo, Bergonzi
Originary from the Germanic word "berg"(monte) meaning mountain
Bernabe', Bernabei, Bernabo'
From the Hebrew name Bernabeus
Bernardi
From the German first name Bernardo
Bernieri, Bernini, Bernocchi
Probably from the Latin name Bernardus or Bernardinus, or from the Germanic Baerhard (strong bear)
Berruti, Berruto
Originary from the Latin word "berrutum" and from the job of wagon
Bertola, Bertolaia, Bertolazzi, Bertoletti, Bertoli, Bertolini, Bertolotti, Bortoli, Bortolazzi, Bortolotti
From the name Bartolomeo
Besozzi
Probably from the toponimic Besozza
Bevacqua, Beviacqua, Bevilacqua
Meaning "that who drinks water" possibly originarily a nickname
Biagi, Biagiotti
From the first name Biagio; it derives from the greek word "blaisos" = to be bow-legged
Bianca, Bianchessi, Bianchetti, Bianchi, Bianchini, Bianciotti, Bianco, Biancolini, Bianconcini, Biancotto
From bianco, meaning white, possibly originally a nickname referring to a very light complexion, or connected as in Florence to a political faction (supporting the Pope against the King)
Bisegna
From the place of Bisegna, Province of Aquila
Bizzarri, Bizzarro
Meaning "bizarre, eccentric" possibly originary a nickname
Blasi, Blasioli
From the first name Biagio, deriving derives from the Greek word "blaisos" = to be bow-legged
Boccanegra
Originally a nickname, meaning "black mouth"
Boccarossa
Originally a nickname, meaning "red mouth"
Boccasavia
Originally a nickname, meaning "sensible mouth", of someone who speaks wise words
Bomba
From the place of Bomba, province of Chieti
Bonaduce
From a corrupted Latin expression probably implying "bona duce fortuna" meaning "with good fortune as your guide"
Bonamici
Meaning "good friend"
Bonanni, Bonannini, Bonano
Meaning "good year", nickname of uncertain origin, or a corruption of the Latin "boni animi", person of good disposition
Bonfa', Bonfatti
A nickname meaning "that makes good deeds"
Bonifacci, Bonifaci, Bonifacino, Bonifati, Bonifazi, Bonifazzi
From Bonifacius, name of Latin origin
Bonparente
Meaning: good relative or parent
Borrelli, Borrello
From the place of Borrello, province of Chieti, also a branch of the great Counts of Marsi
Bottari, Bottaro
From the job of "buttaro" someone in charge with the care of horses
Bovaro And Derivatives
From a job of someone who looks after oxen and cows.
Bove And Derivatives
From a nickname given to someone of great strength and patiens, as an ox is.
Brogelli, Brogetti, Brogi, Brogini, Brogio, Brosio
From the first name Ambrogio, deriving from the latin name Ambrosius = Immortal
Bruna, Brunazzi, Brunello, Bruneri, Bruni, Bruno, Brunone, Brunori
From the German "brun", meaning dark, or "bruun", meaning armor
Buccafusca
A nickname meaning "dark mouth" also implying someone who speaks in a mysterious way
Buccarelli, Buccella, Bucchi, Bucci, Bucco, Buccolini
Nicknames connected to the Latin root "bucca" meaning mouth
Buffonacci, Buffone, Buffoni
Nickname derived from buffone, "clown"
Buonanni, Buonanno
See Bonanni
Bussi, Busso
From the place of Bussi, province of Pescara, or Busso, province of Campobasso
Buttari
See Buttaro.
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