During my research on the history of Italian Surnames, I came across this cool list of Fifty Italian Surname Meanings.  See if your surname is on the list.  You can also search our site for Gallo, Ricci, Bruno, Ferrari, Bianchi, Conti, Gallo, Greco, Russo, Esposito, Romano and Columbo for more information on the top 12 Italian Surnames. There are more than 350,000 Surnames in Italy, more than any other country.  So don’t be surprised if your name is not on the list. What is the meaning of my Italian last name?  See if you are on this list of 50 most popular. Click Here To Join Our Facebook Group 1. Vitali:Italian last name which means “Life”. 2. Ferrari: Italian name which means “Blacksmith”. 3. Angelo:An Italian masculine given name that means “Angel”. 4. Amato:A family name of Italian origin that means “Beloved” or “Dear one”. 5. Venturi:Italian last name which means “Good luck”. 6. Tedesco:Italian last name which means “German”. 7. Riva:Italian last name which means “Someone who lived by a wharf in a port or on a bank or a river”. 8. Zappa:Italian last name which means “Farmer”. 9. Guerriero:The name is derived from the word “Guerre” which means “War”. 10. Ricci:Italian last name which means “Curly.” 11. Fontana:Italian last name which means “Someone who lived near a spring”. 12. Zunino:Italian last name which means “A person from northern Italy”. 13. Barone:Italian last name which means “Free man”. 14. Nicastro:Italian last name which means “New camp”. 15. Trevisan:Italian last name which means “Alchemist”. 16.Bruno:Italian last name which means “Brown”. 17. Favero:Italian last name which means “Craftsman”. 18. Quattrocchi:From the Italian Quattro meaning “Four”, and “Occhi” meaning “Eyes”. 19. Conti:Italian last name which means “Order” or “Control”. 20. Schiavone:Italian last name which means “Slavs”. 21. Rana:Italian last name which means “Frog”. 22. Uberti:Italian last name which means “Manufacturer”. 23. Pedrotti:Italian name derived from “Rock”. 24. Carbone:Italian for a person with dark features, a name that means “Coal”. 25. Pecora:It refers to someone from Southern Italy” 26.Desantis:Italian last name which means “Holy”. 27. Nicotera:Italian last name which means “Miracle of victory”. 28. Paternoster:Derived from the Latin “Pater Noster” that means “Our father”. 29. Ferrari:Italian last name which means “Blacksmith”. 30. Milano:It refers to someone who is from “Milan”. 31.Luciano:Italian name derived from Latin”s Lucianus meaning “Light”. 32. Udine:It means “A city in northeastern Italy”. 33. Viola:Italian last name which means “Violet”. 34. Bianchi:Italian last name which means “White”. 35. Colombo:Italian last name which means “Dove or Dove keeper”. 36.Vestri:A diminutive form of Silvestro”. 37. Messana:It means “From the Ancient Italian island of Sicily”. 38. Orlando:From Italian origin, there is an Italian former football player who holds the surname. 39. Farina:The Italian word for “Flour”. 40.Russo:Italian name which means “Nobility”. 41. Napolitano:Italian name used to refer to someone who is from Napoli (Naples)”. 42. Tocci:An Italian personal name”. 43. Siciliano:Derived from Sicilia”. 44. Evangelista:The Italian form of “Evangelist”. 45. Lambo:Italian last name which means “Realm”. 46. Fiore:Italian last name which means “Flower”. 47. Orsini:Italian last name which means “Bear like or strong”. 48. Vinci:It means “of Vinci”. 49. Notaro:From Southern Italy, an occupational name for “A clerk”. 50.Longo:Italian last name which means “Tall”. Here’s another  link to Italian last names  

Mark D’Ambrosi talks about his roots in San Valentino Torio and the website that he created for families from the town. www.sanvalentinotoriofamilies.com Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

This is a fun two part interview with Frank Ferrante. The first half we talk about Frank’s Italian Roots. In the second half we talk about his career in acting specifically his one man show, “An Evening With Groucho.” FRANK FERRANTE (Actor/Writer) is the recipient of New York’s Theatre World Award for ‘Outstanding Debut,’ a New York Outer Critics Circle nomination, London’s Laurence Olivier Award nomination for ‘Comedy Performance of the Year,’ Washington D.C.’s Helen Hayes nomination and two Connecticut Critics Circle Awards. He was picked a ‘top ten’ theater performance by the Wall Street Journal in 2017 and in 2019 the Chicago Tribune picked him as a ‘top ten’ stage performance for his role in cirque’s Teatro ZinZanni. His New York, London and PBS performances in the title role in Groucho: A Life in Revue received not only acclaim from critics and audiences but from the Marx family. Ferrante was discovered by Groucho Marx’s son playwright Arthur Marx as a 22 year old drama student at USC performing An Evening With Groucho for a 1985 senior project. Arthur subsequently cast Frank to portray Groucho Marx for the heralded 1986-87 production of Arthur’s Groucho: A Life in Revue that played Off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre for 254 performances. Ferrante, who was 23 at the time, portrayed legendary Groucho from age 15 to 85. Morrie Ryskind who co-wrote the Marx Brothers classic films Animal Crackers and A Night at the Opera and attended Ferrante’s USC show said, “Frank is the only actor aside from Groucho who delivered my lines as they were intended.” An Evening With Groucho Website An Evening With Groucho On Demand Also, you can check you local PBS schedule for An Evening With Groucho You can see Frank live in Chicago in Cabaret Zazou Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

Genealogy Journey with Peter and Gay Barbella  two crazy senior citizens decide to visit the birthplaces of their Italian ancestors. They plan a trip to Sperone, Sassano, Palo del Colle and Vasto, places that are far off the beaten track. They execute the plan (almost) flawlessly. On the way, they see magnificent sights, meet wonderful people and find a goldmine of genealogical information. This is the story of their thirteen day genealogical odyssey. Podcast Video woman from Sassano With the Tricaricos in Palo del Colle With cousin Angela Latanzi in Palo del Colle Which way Time to fly home The Park Hotel Montpellier. Pete and Gay Pellegrino Mascolo and Diego Sorice Making friends in Vasto. In the Museo del Cognome Don Otello in the back office of the mother church Bruna and Bepe; our hosts at Rifugiomare Previous Next Click here to join our group on Facebook Mentioned in this broadcast  

Fascinating interview with attorney and author Michael Fattorosi on how a rainy day in Positano led to his uncovering his ancestors in Lettere Campania.  Michael has done extensive research and has copied thousands of records from Lettere that he plans to release to the public.  Check out his site archiviodilettere.com.   And don’t forget the Book Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video