Felice
A surname and given name ultimately tied to Latin words for “happy” or “fortunate,” used in several European traditions.
The #9,730 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 92,633 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Felice comes from Latin felix, meaning “happy,” “fortunate,” or “lucky,” and from the related Latin personal name Felicius/Felicia. In Romance-language use, Felice is also a personal name meaning “happy” or “fortunate,” which then passed into surnames. In some cases the surname may reflect descent from someone named Felice, while in others it may be a spelling variant or anglicized form related to Felix or Felicia.
History
The historical excerpts show Felice appearing in medieval English records and being discussed alongside forms such as Felice, Felix, and related spellings. In English surname books, it is sometimes treated as a variant or altered spelling rather than a fully independent surname. The name is also well established in Italian and other Romance-language contexts, where it can function directly as a personal name and surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley specifically notes that the surname Phillis can sometimes stand in place of Felice in old records, showing how fluid medieval spellings could be.
From the historical record
“Philbrick for Fellbr^ (a parish in co. Norf.), Philby for Filby. On the other hand, Philcock is found as Filcock {v. Philcox), Filpot stands for Philpot, Filkin for Philkin. Again, Phillis has taken the place of Felice. Perhaps the most interesting instance in the list is that of Phillimore for Finamour, 'pure…”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances