This list includes 55 Italian last names that start with N, from “Nacca” to “Nuzzo”. They often reflect occupations, places, or nicknames and show regional spelling patterns. Use the list for genealogy, creative writing, or quick reference when researching surname origins.
Italian last names that start with N are family names originating in Italy and beginning with the letter N. Many preserve regional identities, such as “Napolitano” indicating Neapolitan origin, or “Neri” meaning “dark”.
Below you’ll find the table with [COLUMN_NAMES].
Surname: The family name itself; you use it to check spelling, alphabetical order, and find the full entry.
Meaning / origin: A concise etymology or literal meaning; it helps you understand the name’s linguistic roots and original sense.
Region: Typical Italian regions where the surname appears; this helps you narrow the geographic origin in records.
Variants: Common spelling or dialectal forms; this helps you recognize related names and alternate spellings in sources.
Notable people: Names of notable individuals with brief roles and dates; you use this for historical or cultural context.
Italian last names that start with N
| Surname | Meaning | Region | Notable people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nacca | small hook or cleat (nickname) | Campania | – |
| Naccarato | son of Nacca; diminutive patronymic | Campania/Apulia | – |
| Nacci | short form of Nazzio/Nazzo or patronymic | Tuscany/Marche | – |
| Nardi | son of Nardo (Leonardo diminutive) | Tuscany/Emilia-Romagna | – |
| Nardò | from the town of Nardò | Puglia | – |
| Nardo | short form of Leonardo or toponym | Various | – |
| Nardini | diminutive/descendant of Nardo | Tuscany/Marche | – |
| Nardelli | little Nardo; patronymic diminutive | Lazio/Tuscany | – |
| Nannucci | diminutive of Nanno (nickname) | Tuscany | – |
| Nannini | descendants of Nanni (Giovanni) | Tuscany | Gianna Nannini (singer, b. 1954) |
| Nanni | diminutive of Giovanni; “little John” | Tuscany/Emilia | – |
| Napoli | from Naples (Napoli) | Campania | – |
| Napolitano | Neapolitan; from Naples | Campania | Giorgio Napolitano (President, 1925–2023) |
| Nappi | possibly from “nappa” or nickname; occupational roots | Campania | – |
| Naldi | from personal name ‘Naldo’ (ruler-related) | Lombardy/Emilia-Romagna | – |
| Nalli | likely from a place-name or artisan nickname | Campania | – |
| Nava | place-name or reference to a plain/flat area | Lombardy/Piedmont | – |
| Nazzaro | derived from ‘Nazarius’ or nickname | Campania/Calabria | – |
| Nebbia | mist, fog | Lombardy/Emilia-Romagna | – |
| Negro | black (nickname or complexion) | Nationwide | Paolo Negro (footballer, b. 1972) |
| Negri | plural/descendants of “nero” (black) | Lombardy/Various | Luigi Negri (bishop, 1941–2021); Cesare Negri (dancer, fl. 16th–17th c.) |
| Negrini | diminutive/plural of “nero” | Lombardy/Veneto | – |
| Negroni | diminutive/plural of “nero”; family name | Tuscany/Lombardy | Count Camillo Negroni (cocktail originator, late 19th–early 20th c.) |
| Neri | black (from “nero”) | Nationwide | Antonio Neri (glassmaker, 1576–1614) |
| Nerini | diminutive/variant of Neri | Tuscany | – |
| Neroni | from Neri / family name | Tuscany | Bartolomeo Neroni (painter, c.1505–1571) |
| Nesi | from ‘neso’ or short personal name | Tuscany | – |
| Nesti | from Nesto/Nesto nickname | Tuscany/Umbria | – |
| Nicodemi | son of Nicodemo (biblical name) | Campania/Lazio | – |
| Nicolai | from Niccolò/Nicola (patronymic) | Various | – |
| Nicolini | little Nicholas; patronymic diminutive | Tuscany/Emilia-Romagna | – |
| Nicoletti | descendants of Nicola; diminutive patronymic | Lazio/Campania | – |
| Nicolosi | from the town Nicolosi (Sicily) | Sicily | – |
| Nicotera | from the town Nicotera | Calabria | – |
| Nitti | diminutive/patronymic of Antonio/Nino | Basilicata/Campania | Francesco Saverio Nitti (Prime Minister, 1868–1953) |
| Nobile | noble; honorable | Nationwide | Umberto Nobile (aeronautical engineer/explorer, 1885–1978) |
| Nobili | the nobles (plural) or noble family | Marche/Emilia-Romagna | – |
| Noce | walnut (tree or nut); nickname | Campania/Lazio | – |
| Nocera | from the town Nocera | Campania | – |
| Nocentini | from ‘innocent’ or Innocenzo | Tuscany | – |
| Nocchi | from ‘noce’ (walnut) or place-name | Tuscany | – |
| Nocera | duplicate removed | – | – |
| Noli | from the Ligurian town Noli | Liguria | – |
| Nolli | variant of Noli or nickname-based | Lombardy | – |
| Nocito | diminutive or variant of Noci/Nocera | Sicily | – |
| Nori | from personal name ‘Noro’ or occupational nickname | Tuscany | – |
| Norcia | from the town Norcia (Umbria) | Umbria | – |
| Notarbartolo | from “notary Bartolo” (notary lineage) | Sicily | Emanuele Notarbartolo (banker/politician, 1834–1893) |
| Notaro | notary (occupation); derived from Latin notarius | Calabria/Campania | – |
| Nuzzo | from “ignazio”/nickname or toponymic roots | Campania | – |
| Nuvolari | from “nuvola” (cloud) or nickname | Emilia-Romagna | Tazio Nuvolari (racing driver, 1892–1953) |
| Nuvoletta | diminutive of “nuvola” (cloud) | Campania | – |
| Nuzzi | descendants of Nuzzo or patronymic | Lazio/Campania | Gianluigi Nuzzi (journalist, b. 1969) |
| Novelli | derived from “novello” (new) or Novello family | Lazio/Tuscany | Enrico Novelli (writer “Yambo”, 1876–1943) |
| Novaro | likely from a place-name or nickname | Piedmont/Liguria | – |
Descriptions
Nacca
Southern Italian surname, often Campanian; likely a nickname-based name. Uncommon, regional variants include Naccà and Naccari, tied to rural or maritime occupations.
Naccarato
Southern patronymic formed from Nacca. Regional and spelling variants include Naccarato/Naccari. Uncommon outside southern Italy, often linked to small-town families.
Nacci
Central Italian surname; possibly derived from medieval personal names or nicknames. Moderately uncommon, with variants Naccio and Nacchi.
Nardi
Widespread across central and northern Italy. Patronymic from Nardo/Leonardo; common with variants Nardo, De Nardi. Historically present among artisans and merchants.
Nardò
Toponymic surname from the Salento town of Nardò. Regional and fairly common in Apulia; indicates ancestral origin from that municipality.
Nardo
Used as both patronymic and toponymic name. Found across Italy with modest frequency. Variants include Nardi and Di Nardo.
Nardini
Common in central Italy and Veneto; diminutive patronymic of Nardo. Associated with merchants and artisans; variants include Nardin and Nardinì.
Nardelli
A central Italian surname formed from Nardo with diminutive suffix. Regional and relatively uncommon outside central Italy.
Nannucci
Tuscan surname derived from a pet form of Giovanni or Annibale. Historically regional, with variants like Nannuccio.
Nannini
A well-known Tuscan surname; patronymic from the diminutive Nanni. Relatively common in central Italy; associated with the singer Gianna Nannini.
Nanni
Short patronymic turned surname, frequent in central Italy. Variants include De Nanni and Nannini. Common in historical and modern records.
Napoli
Toponymic surname indicating origin from Naples. Widespread in southern Italy and among emigrant communities; many regional spellings and derivatives.
Napolitano
A clear toponymic surname meaning “from Naples.” Common in Campania and nationwide; famous bearer Giorgio Napolitano served as Italy’s president.
Nappi
Southern Italian surname concentrated in Campania. Etymology debated (nickname vs. occupational). Variants include Nappo and Nappini.
Naldi
Northern Italian patronymic derived from names ending in -naldo. Moderately common in Lombardy and Emilia with forms like Naldi and Naaldi.
Nalli
Neapolitan surname; locally established and tied to family-run businesses. Variants include Nallì and Nallo.
Nava
Common in northern Italy, especially Lombardy and Piedmont. Toponymic or geographic origin; simple, widespread surname with several families.
Nazzaro
Southern Italian surname with medieval Christian name origins. Present in Campania and Calabria; several regional spellings exist.
Nebbia
Surnames from natural features are common; Nebbia likely began as a nickname. Uncommon, mostly northern/central Italian occurrences.
Negro
A descriptive surname meaning “black.” Found across Italy; moderate frequency. Variants include Dei Negro and Del Negro.
Negri
Widespread northern surname from “nero.” Common in Lombardy and Emilia; variants include Negri, De Negri. Historic bearers include a Renaissance choreographer.
Negrini
Northern Italian variant related to Negri, often found in Lombardy and Veneto. Common regionally with spelling variants.
Negroni
Historic northern/central surname; associated with the Negroni cocktail origin story. Regionally established in Tuscany and Lombardy with notable family branches.
Neri
One of Italy’s common surnames, literally meaning “black.” Found nationwide, especially central Italy. Variants include De Neri and Nerone; associated with artisans historically.
Nerini
Central Italian variant of Neri. Less common than Neri, often Tuscan, with patronymic/diminutive formation.
Neroni
A historic Sienese family name; Bartolomeo Neroni was a Renaissance painter. Regional concentration in Tuscany with noble and artistic associations.
Nesi
Tuscan surname with medieval roots. Moderate regional frequency, often recorded in Florence and surrounding areas; variants include Neso and De Nesi.
Nesti
Central Italian surname, moderately common in Tuscany and Umbria. Patronymic origin; forms include Nesto and Di Nesti.
Nicodemi
Southern/central surname derived from the Greek biblical name Nicodemus. Historically present in Campania and Lazio, often tied to Christian traditions.
Nicolai
A patronymic form of Nicholas; found across Italy with regional spelling differences. Common among families tracing to medieval given names.
Nicolini
Common central-northern surname derived from Niccolò/Nicola. Variants include Nicolin and Niccolini; associated with craftsmen and merchants.
Nicoletti
Widespread southern and central patronymic. Nicoletti and Niccoletti appear in many regions; moderately common.
Nicolosi
Toponymic Sicilian surname tied to the town of Nicolosi near Mount Etna. Regionally common in Catania province.
Nicotera
Calabrian toponymic surname referencing Nicotera on the Tyrrhenian coast. Strong regional concentration in Calabria.
Nitti
Historic southern surname; Francesco Saverio Nitti was a prominent Italian prime minister and economist. Found in Basilicata and Campania.
Nobile
Surname meaning “noble.” Found throughout Italy; historically associated with notable figures like polar explorer Umberto Nobile.
Nobili
Historic aristocratic surname in central Italy. Nobili indicates noble lineage; several landed families bore this name across regions.
Noce
Toponymic or occupational origin relating to walnut trees. Seen in central and southern Italy; variable frequency depending on locality.
Nocera
Toponymic surname derived from towns named Nocera (Campania and elsewhere). Common in Campania and among emigrant communities, indicating origin from Nocera.
Nocentini
Central Italian surname from the personal name Innocenzo or a form meaning “innocent.” Regionally Tuscan, with patronymic formation.
Nocchi
Tuscan surname likely derived from local topography or walnut trees. Uncommon but regionally attested.
Nocera
–
Noli
Toponymic surname from the medieval Ligurian port town of Noli. Concentrated in Liguria and nearby coastal areas.
Nolli
Northern surname, possibly a variant of Noli or a local nickname. Modest regional frequency in Lombardy.
Nocito
Southern Italian surname, particularly Sicilian. Likely connected to local place-names or family nicknames; regional and relatively uncommon.
Nori
Central Italian surname, especially Tuscan. Short, old family name with medieval roots and several regional branches.
Norcia
Toponymic surname indicating origin in Norcia, Umbria. Historically tied to the central Apennine region and local families.
Notarbartolo
Historic Sicilian aristocratic-notarial family. Notarbartolo stems from a notary ancestor named Bartolo; Emanuele Notarbartolo’s murder was a landmark anti-mafia event.
Notaro
Occupational surname for a notary or clerk. Common in southern Italy with variants Notari and Notarile.
Nuzzo
Southern Italian surname, especially Campanian. Moderately common with variants Nuzzi and Nuzzo; often found in small-town records.
Nuvolari
Historic northern surname; Tazio Nuvolari is Italy’s legendary racing driver. Name suggests a nickname related to clouds or appearance.
Nuvoletta
Campanian surname notably linked to a Camorra clan (Nuvoletta family). Regional and historically significant in Campania’s criminal and social history.
Nuzzi
Southern/central surname; found in Lazio and Campania. Modern bearers include journalist-author Gianluigi Nuzzi.
Novelli
Widespread central Italian surname. Patronymic/toponymic origins; Enrico Novelli (Yambo) was a noted writer and illustrator.
Novaro
Northern Italian surname with uncertain specific origin. Found in Piedmont and Liguria with modest frequency.