D'Urso
An Italian surname most likely built on the word for “bear,” with roots in a nickname or personal name.
The #9,444 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 89,621 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Durso is usually understood as an Italian surname related to urso, meaning “bear,” from Latin ursa/ursus. The prefix d' or de- in older spellings can point to “of” or “from,” so the name may originally have meant “of the bear” or have developed from a nickname, house name, or personal name built on that word. Because the excerpt is only a brief incidental mention, the exact medieval form and pathway are not fully secure.
History
The surname is found in Italian and Italian-American usage, especially in southern Italian communities. As with many surnames based on animal nicknames, it may have begun as a descriptive label for someone thought bear-like in strength, size, or temperament, before becoming hereditary.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bear-based surnames are common in several European naming traditions because the animal symbolized strength and toughness.
From the historical record
“Dorset, from DossETT. Dorset. TJiomas de Durso.t of Normandy 1180-95, MliS ; Eidiard D 0 R”
— The Norman People and their existing descendants in the British dominions and the United States