Perna
A surname with multiple possible roots, most likely from a nickname, place-name, or southern European word for a shell or leg bone.
The #9,382 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 89,053 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Perna has several plausible surname origins in Romance-language traditions. In Latin, perna could mean a ham or leg, and by extension it was used for a shellfish or shell; surnames may have arisen as nicknames, occupational labels, or topographic names from that root. In Italian and related southern European usage, Perna can also reflect regional words or local place-names, so the surname is not tied to a single secure derivation.
History
The surname is found chiefly in Italy and in immigrant communities in the Americas, especially the United States. Because the form is short and ancient-looking, it has likely been created independently in more than one place, which makes its family histories difficult to trace back to a single source. Modern bearers in the U.S. may descend from Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese lines, depending on the family.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Perna is also a common Latin word, which makes the surname look simple but historically tricky to pin down to one origin.