Surname Pacino, Pacini and variations

The variations Pacino, Pacini appearing in Italy are regional, with the -o ending typical of Sicily. The surname possibly originated from a first name, as documented in one Pacino da Bonaguida, a Florentine artist active about 1303 - 1347. The first name, as was customary in Tuscany and central Italy, changed to the plural to indicate the family group.

Etymology

A number of possible etymologies exist.

From the Trojan hero Pacinos, who fought alongside Aeneas and then travelled to Italy with him. While Aeneas settled along the banks of the Tiber, Pacinos moved eastward and entered the Sannio; at the foot of Mount Morrone, he would stop to found a place called Pacinus, which was - according to some theories - to become present-day Pacentro.
Variously connected to the Latin pax-pacis for "peace", deriving from the medieval auspicious name Pacinus (peaceful, bringer of peace).

Diffusion

Pacino

Italian White Pages: in 2020 there are about 65 listings of individuals, mostly in Sicily and in the province of Cosenza.
Ellis Island: 388 arrivals for Pacino immigrants are recorded, coming mostly from areas of Sicily, such as Messina, Sant'Agata, San Fratello, Palazzo Adriano.

Pacini

Italian White Pages: in 2020 there are over 1100 listings in the Italian white pages of 2020. Pacini is typical of central Italy (Tuscany, Marche, Umbria and Lazio), with maximum diffusion in Tuscany. In the year 1576 in the list of students of the University of Perugia one Ioannes Baptista Pacinus is mentioned.
Ellis Island: 1229 arrivals for Pacini immigrants are recorded, coming mostly from the area of Tuscany, Marche, and central Italy.

Famous Family Members

The surname became famous thanks to award-winning actor Al Pacino (born Alfredo James Pacino) whose paternal ascendants were from San Fratello, province of Messina, while his mother's family, Gelardi, was also from Sicily, exactly from Corleone, province of Palermo.

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