Moretti
An Italian surname meaning “descendants of Moro” or “the dark-haired/dark-skinned ones,” with Moretti often serving as a plural family name.
The #8,529 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 80,027 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Moretti is an Italian surname built on the name Moro, from Latin Maurus, originally meaning “Moor” and later used in Italy for someone with dark features or a dark complexion. The ending -etti is a plural or diminutive family-forming suffix, so the name can function like “the Moretti family” or “the little/younger descendants of Moro.” In practice, it is usually understood as a patronymic or nickname-based surname tied to an ancestor called Moro.
History
The surname is widespread in Italy, especially in central and northern regions, and many families took it independently from the same nickname-based root. In emigrant communities, Moretti remained strongly identified as Italian and is found in countries with large Italian diaspora populations, including the United States, Argentina, Brazil, and Australia.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because many Italian surnames developed from nicknames, Moretti may originally have described a person’s appearance rather than a direct ancestor named Moro.