Silvestri
An Italian surname meaning “of Silvester/Sylvester,” ultimately tied to the Latin word for “forest” or “woodland.”
The #7,201 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 66,569 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Silvestri is the Italian plural or family-form surname built from Silvestro, the Italian form of Sylvester. That personal name comes from Latin silvestris, meaning “wooded,” “of the woods,” or “wild,” from silva, “forest.” In surname use, it usually signaled descent from or association with a man named Silvestro/Sylvester rather than describing a literal woodland worker.
History
The name is especially Italian and is found across Italy, with strong representation in central and southern regions as well as in diaspora communities abroad. It is related to other European surname forms derived from Sylvester/Silvester, a Christian name made famous by several saints and popes. In modern usage it remains a recognizable Italian family name and is common enough to appear in immigrant communities in the Americas.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it comes from silva, the root idea behind the name is literally “forest,” not “silver,” despite the similar sound.