Nino
A surname with several possible roots, most likely from a personal name or nickname in Romance-language traditions.
The #3,224 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 27,562 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Nino can function as a surname in several different naming traditions, so its origin is not single or certain. In Spanish and Italian contexts it is often connected with the familiar personal name Nino, which can arise as a short form or nickname from longer names. In some cases the deeper source may go back to a given name or to a word associated with youth or a child, while other bearers may ultimately derive the name from a different local or family naming tradition.
History
The form is relatively common as a given name in parts of the Romance world and can pass into use as a hereditary surname from that personal name. The historical record is too thin in the excerpt provided to tie the surname securely to one region or one original family line. Modern bearers of Nino therefore may have unrelated origins depending on country and ancestry.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because Nino is short and internationally familiar, it can arise independently in more than one language tradition, so not every family named Nino shares the same ancestor.
From the historical record
“Jupiter, Olympius, Amnion, Jove, 2ieus, Juno, Hera, Sa- turnus, Neptune, Pluto, Dis, - Osiris, Amun, Neith, Apiz (Apis?), Nino (Ninus?), Hea, Beltis, Phul, Melchert, Mel- card (Melcarth?), Belus, - Vulcan, Pan, Mars, Mavors^ Bellona, Phoebus, Polio, ApoU (Apollo?), Delius, Helion, Lampus, Semel6, Cybelct, Bacchus…”
— A Grammar of American Surnames