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Surnames and Their Origins – November 2021

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PARENTE – This surname derives from the apheresis of the medieval Italian name Bonparente meaning “good father, good parent.”.The surname Parente is typical in central and southern Italy. There are approximately 2,115 Parente families in Italy. Variations: Parenti.

PARISI – The surname Parisi is of ethnic derivation, it originating from the name of the French capital, Paris. Parisi, a noble Italian family of French origin during the Norman kingdom, settled in Sicily, where today the surname is widespread. In Lombardy and Piedmont there are many families called Parisio and in Emilia Romagna instead Parisini. Among the illustrious personalities one remembers the famous dancer and showgirl of American origin Heather Parisi, the writer Goffredo Parise, the actress Alessandra Parisi, the architects Alfonso and Giulio Parigi. Variations: Parise, Parissi, Parisini, Parisotti, Parisani, Paris, Parigi.

PASQUALE – This surname derives from the first name Pasquale directly or through dialectal forms, from the Classical Latin name Pasqualis, from its translation Pasquale or from dialectal forms such as Pascale. The name was normally attributed to children born precisely during the Easter period. The surname is present in all 20 regions.
It is most common in the Piedmont region and least in Sardinia. Variations: Pasquali, Pascale, Pasqualetti, Pasqualini,, Pasquarelli, Pascarella, Pascarelli, Passarelli, Passarello.

PASSERI – It could derive either from the Italian word passero, meaning sparrow, or from personal names such as Passera and Passerinus in use in the Middle Ages. The surname Passeri has one lineage in the province of Perugia and one in that of Rome. Variations: Passerini.

PASTORE – This surname derives from a nickname linked to the profession of shepherd or herder of flocks or from
the religious reference to the figure of the “Good Shepherd,” that is Jesus Christ or the “shepherd of souls” that is the priest. Traces of this name are found in Milan in 1161, in a deed of sale where a certain Pastore known as Crivello appears and later the plasterer, goldsmith and master glassmaker Pastorino da Siena (1508-1592). The surname Pastore is widespread both in the south (Puglia and Campania) and in the north (Piedmont, Lombardy). There are approximately 4,971 Pastore families in Italy. The surname Pastore is 26th in the Puglia region, 11th in the Pugliese province of Novara and first in the municipality of Casamassima in the province of Bari. Variations: Pastor, Pastora, Pastoressa, Pastorin, Pastorina, Pastorini, Pastoris, Pastorella, Pastrello.

PARTICELLI – This surname appears to derive from a dialectal variant of the Latin surname Patricius indicating of elevated social level. The Patricelli surname has a strong Campania presence, between Neapolitan and Casartano, and an Abruzzese one between the provinces of Pescara and Chieti. There are approximately 366 Patricelli families in Italy. Variations: Patricello, Patricella.

In the December issue we’ll feature a special seasonal surname feature.


You can research your surname on these two websites:
surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/italian/
cognomix.it/mappe-dei-cognomi-italiani

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