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Surnames and Their Origins – June 2021

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With this issue we continue with surnames starting with the letter P.

PALMIERI – This surname derives from the old French first name Palmiere, derived from Palma; nickname given during the Middle Ages to the pilgrims to the Holy Land. It is a very common surname registered in all 20 regions. It is most prevalent in Campania and least registered in Valle D’Aosta. Variations: Palmero, Palmiero, Palmerino, Palmarino, Palmerucci.

PALUMBO – This surname derives from dialect word “palumbo,” meaning dove, used as a nickname for a quiet person. It is a very common surname also registered in all 20 regions. It is most prevalent in Campania and least registered in Valle D’Aosta. Variations: Palombo, Palomba, Palombi, Palombella, Palombino, Plumbieri, Palumberi.

PAOLUCCI – This surname derives from the first name Paolo, derived from the Latin word “Paulus,” meaning small. It is a very common surname also registered in all 20 regions. It is most prevalent in Lazio and least registered in Valle D’Aosta. Variations: Paolo.

PANCRAZIO – This surname derives from the Greek “Pankrates.” As a surname it is not very common. It is more commonly recognized as the first name of two Italian saints, San Pancrazio diTaormina, a
1st-century bishop and martyr, and San Pancrazio di Roma, martyred circa 304 B.C.

PANELLA – This surname derives from the word “pane,” meaning bread, to indicate the job of someone in the bakery business or also derived from the medieval nicknamepane, meaning good person. (Lui è un pezzo di pane, or literally “he is a piece of bread.”) Present-day families with this surname
had ancestors who were bread bakers. As a surname, it is registered in all 20 regions. It is most prevalent in Lazio and least registered in Sardegna. Variations: Panelli, Panello, Panetti, Panetta, Panozzo, Pani, Panebianco, Pancotto.

PANTALEO – This surname derives from the first name Pantaleone of Greek origin, consisting of “panta,” meaning all, and the Italian “leone” meaning lion. It is present in 17 regions. It is most prevent in Puglia and not registered with Vital Statistics in Valle D’Aosta, Umbria, and Le Marche. Variations: Pantalone, Pantaleone, Pantaleoni, Pantaloni, Patalei.

PANZA – This surname derives from the word “panza,” meaning belly. It is present in 17 regions. It is most prevalent in Lombardia and least in Molise. It is not registered with Vital Statistics in Val d’Aosta, Umbria, and Le Marche. Variations: Pancia, Panzetti, Pansini, Pancini, Panzarella, Panzacchi, Panzarino, Pansera, Pansardi, Pancera, Panzuti, Panzera.

PAPA – This surname derives from the word “papa,” that, according the local traditions has different meanings including father, bishop, priest. It is a very common surname registered in all 20 regions. It is most prevalent in Campania and least registered in Valle D’Aosta.

In the July issue, we’ll continue Italian surnames beginning with the letter P.


You can research your surname on these two websites:
surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/italian/
cognomix.it/mappe-dei-cognomi-italiani

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