Napolitano
An Italian surname meaning “from Naples” or “Neapolitan.”
The #4,917 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 43,163 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Napolitano is an Italian surname formed from the name of Naples, the city in southern Italy. It comes from Italian napoletano/napolitano, meaning “of Naples” or “from Naples,” ultimately tied to Latin Neapolis, “new city.” As a surname, it would originally identify someone who had come from Naples or was otherwise associated with that place.
History
This type of regional surname was common in Italy, where a person might be identified by their home city or region. Napolitano is especially associated with southern Italy and later spread widely through Italian emigration, particularly to the Americas. In some cases it may have been used as a nickname for someone thought of as distinctly Neapolitan in identity or speech.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The underlying place name Naples ultimately goes back to Greek Neápolis, literally “new city.”
Notable people named Napolitano
- Giorgio Napolitano (1925–2023)
- Janet Napolitano (b. 1957)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.