Italian Surnames of Abruzzo – Origins, Meanings and Heritage

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Abruzzo sits in the heart of central Italy. Mountains rise to the west. The Adriatic Sea stretches to the east. If you are searching for Italian surnames from Abruzzo, you are in the right place. This guide covers the most common names, what they mean, and where they come from.

Millions of Abruzzese left Italy between 1880 and 1930. Many went to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York. They took their surnames with them. Today, those names connect Italian-American families to their roots. If your family name is in this list, your ancestors may have walked these mountain paths.

A Short History of Surnames in Abruzzo

Abruzzo was not always a peaceful region. Normans arrived in the 11th century. Lombards had come before them. Angevins ruled after the Normans. Each group left marks in the local surnames.

The region has four provinces: L’Aquila, Teramo, Pescara, and Chieti. Each has its own dialect. Many surnames vary slightly between provinces.

Before the 13th century, most Italians had just one name. Surnames came later. They usually came from four sources:

• The father’s name — such as Di Giovanni or D’Angelo
• A job or trade — such as Ferrara (ironworker) or Pepe (spice trader)
• A place — such as Albanese (from Albania) or Della Valle (from the valley)
• A nickname — such as Ricci (curly-haired) or Testa (big head)

Abruzzo has all four types. Many Abruzzese surnames also show the strong religious faith of the region. If you want to understand how surnames developed across Italy, read our full guide to How to Trace Your Italian Ancestry.

The Most Common Surnames of Abruzzo

Here are the most common Italian surnames from Abruzzo. Each entry follows the same format: meaning, origin, regional spread, and diaspora connection.

D’Angelo

D’Angelo means “of the angel”. It comes from the given name Angelo, which means angel in Italian. D’Angelo families lived across all four provinces of Abruzzo. Many moved to the United States, mainly to Pennsylvania and New York.

Di Luzio

Di Luzio means “of the Luzio family”. It comes from the Latin name Lucius, meaning light. This name is common around Chieti and Pescara. Several Di Luzio families settled in Pittsburgh in the early 1900s.

Esposito

Esposito means “exposed” or “left out”. It was given to children left at church doors by their families. This name is found across southern Italy. In Abruzzo, it appears most often in the coastal provinces.

Ferrara

Ferrara means “iron” or “ironworker”. It is a job-based name for someone who worked with iron. Ferrara families were blacksmiths or metalworkers. This name spread from Abruzzo to the US and Argentina.

De Luca

De Luca means “of Luke”. It comes from the name of the apostle Luke, or San Luca. De Luca is one of the most common surnames in southern and central Italy. In Abruzzo, it is found in every province.

Aceto

Aceto means “vinegar”. It is a job-based name for a vinegar maker or seller. It comes from the Latin word acetum. Aceto families lived mainly around Chieti and Pescara.

Albanese

Albanese means “Albanian”. It was given to families who came from Albania. Arbëreshë communities settled in Abruzzo in the 15th century. They fled Ottoman rule. Their descendants still live in the region today.

Di Nunzio

Di Nunzio means “of Nunzio”. Nunzio is an Italian name linked to the Annunciation. This is a father’s-name surname. It is common in Chieti province. Many Di Nunzio families emigrated to the United States.

Pepe

Pepe means “pepper”. It was given to spice traders or sellers of pepper. Pepe is found across southern Italy. In Abruzzo, it appears most often in the inland provinces near L’Aquila.

Serafini

Serafini means “seraphim”. It refers to the highest order of angels in Christian belief. This religious name was given to very devout families. Serafini is common in Teramo and L’Aquila provinces.

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Sabatini

Sabatini means “of the Sabbath” or “born on Saturday”. It comes from sabato, the Italian word for Saturday. Sabatini families lived mainly around L’Aquila and Teramo. Many emigrated to New York and New England.

Orsini

Orsini means “little bear”. It comes from the Latin word ursus, meaning bear. The Orsini were one of the most powerful noble families in medieval Italy. Many ordinary Abruzzese families took this name during the feudal period.

Testa

Testa means “head”. It was a nickname for someone with a large head or a strong will. Testa is a very old Italian surname. It is found across Abruzzo and throughout central Italy.

Ricci

Ricci means “curly-haired”. It was a nickname for a man with curly or frizzy hair. Ricci is one of the most common surnames in Italy. In Abruzzo, it is found mainly in the inland mountain areas.

Ciccone

Ciccone comes from Cicco, a short form of Francesco (Francis). The -one ending means “big”. Ciccone families lived mainly in Chieti and Pescara. This name became famous worldwide through the pop star Madonna, whose father’s family came from Pacentro in L’Aquila province.

Di Giovanni

Di Giovanni means “of Giovanni”. Giovanni is the Italian form of John. This is a very common father’s-name surname. Di Giovanni is found in all four provinces of Abruzzo.

Croce

Croce means “cross”. It is a religious name linked to the Christian cross. Croce families often lived near churches or in towns with a cross in the name. It is common in Chieti province.

Della Valle

Della Valle means “of the valley”. It was given to families who lived in a valley. Abruzzo has many deep valleys between its mountains. Della Valle families lived in the inland areas near the Apennines.

Lattanzio

Lattanzio comes from the Latin name Lactantius. This was the name of an early Christian writer. It is a rare and distinctive Abruzzese surname. It shows the deep link between Abruzzo and early Christian history.

Fantini

Fantini means “little child” or “foot soldier”. It comes from the Italian word fante. This surname was given to young servants or soldiers. Fantini families lived across Abruzzo and the nearby Marche region.

Abruzzo Surnames and the Great Emigration

Abruzzo was one of the hardest-hit regions during Italy’s great emigration wave. Between 1880 and 1915, hundreds of thousands of Abruzzese left for the United States. Life in the mountains was hard. There was little farmland and few jobs. America offered work.

They settled in industrial cities. Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Cleveland had large Abruzzese communities. New York’s East Harlem was home to many families from Chieti and Pescara. The surnames they brought — D’Angelo, De Luca, Di Giovanni, Ferrara — filled the registers of American churches and city halls.

One Abruzzese family story stands out above all others. The Ciccone family from Pacentro, a small village in L’Aquila province, emigrated to Michigan. Their descendant, Madonna Louise Ciccone, became one of the most famous entertainers in the world. Pacentro still draws Italian-American visitors every year. If your name is Ciccone, Fonzi, or Di Fonzo, this small mountain village may be your family’s ancestral home.

Want to understand more about how Italian immigrants shaped American food and culture? Read our article on How Italian Immigrants Turned Poverty Food Into America’s Favourite Cuisine.

How to Trace Your Abruzzo Ancestry

Finding your Abruzzese roots takes time. But it is possible. Here is where to start.

Start with your family. Ask relatives what they know. Write down province names, town names, and dates. Even a rough year of emigration helps.

Search Ellis Island records. The Ellis Island website is free. Many records show the exact town in Abruzzo where your ancestor came from. This is often the fastest first step.

Use the Antenati portal. The Italian National Archives runs a free site called Antenati. It holds civil records from 1809 to 1910 for most Abruzzo towns. You can find birth, marriage, and death records there.

Contact the Comune. Each Abruzzo town has a Comune (town hall). The Stato Civile office holds records from 1866. You can write to the Comune with your ancestor’s name. They can often provide a birth certificate.

Consider dual citizenship. If your Italian ancestor was born after 1861 and you can prove the family line, you may qualify for Italian citizenship through jure sanguinis (citizenship by blood). Many Abruzzese-Americans have done this successfully.

For a full step-by-step guide, read: How to Trace Your Italian Ancestry – Step-by-Step Guide for Americans.

You might also find it useful to read about The Italian Village Your Great-Grandparents Left — and Why You Should Visit It, which gives a vivid picture of what these ancestral towns look like today.

Where to Visit in Abruzzo Today

If you have Abruzzese roots, a trip to the region is one of the most rewarding things you can do. Abruzzo is one of Italy’s least-visited regions. That means fewer tourists and a more authentic experience.

L’Aquila is the regional capital. It was badly damaged by an earthquake in 2009 but has been rebuilt with care. The city has beautiful medieval churches and a strong sense of identity.

Chieti is one of Italy’s oldest cities. It sits on a hill above the Pescara river valley. Chieti province has many small towns where Abruzzese-American families trace their roots.

Sulmona is a beautiful medieval town in L’Aquila province. It is famous for confetti — sugar-coated almonds used at Italian celebrations. Sulmona was the birthplace of the Roman poet Ovid.

Scanno is a small mountain village above a heart-shaped lake. Lake Scanno is one of the most photographed places in Italy. If your ancestors came from inland Abruzzo, Scanno may have been part of their world.

If you are planning a heritage trip, read our full guide: How to Plan an Italian Heritage Trip to Your Ancestral Town.

You might also enjoy comparing surnames from other regions. Read about Italian surnames from Sardinia or Italian surnames from Tuscany to see how different parts of Italy shaped their family names.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common surnames in Abruzzo?

The most common surnames in Abruzzo include De Luca, D’Angelo, Di Giovanni, Ferrara, and Ricci. These names are also found across southern and central Italy. Abruzzo-specific names include Di Luzio, Albanese, and Lattanzio.

What does the name Esposito mean in Italian?

Esposito means “exposed” or “left out”. It was given to children who were left at church doors or foundling hospitals. It is one of the most common surnames in southern Italy and appears frequently in Abruzzo.

Why did so many people leave Abruzzo?

Abruzzo was a poor, mountainous region in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There was little farmland and few jobs. When emigration to America became possible, hundreds of thousands of Abruzzese left for cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and New York.

How do I trace my ancestry in Abruzzo?

Start by searching Ellis Island records and the free Antenati portal. You can also write to the Comune (town hall) in your ancestral town. For a full guide, read How to Trace Your Italian Ancestry.

What is the difference between Abruzzese surnames and Sicilian surnames?

Abruzzese surnames show more Latin and early Christian influences. Sicilian surnames often reflect Arab, Norman, and Greek roots. For a comparison, read our guide to Italian surnames from Sicily.

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