This list includes 28 Italian last names that start with S, from “Sacco” to “Strozzi”. These surnames often reflect occupations, nicknames, or place origins, and help genealogy, writing, and regional research.
Italian last names that start with S are family names originating in Italy, often tied to trade, places, or ancestors. Many carry regional markers; for example, “Strozzi” recalls a powerful Florentine family from the Renaissance.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning/Origin, Region, and Notable people.
Surname: The family name as spelled here; you use it to identify the specific surname and search archival records.
Meaning/Origin: A concise etymology or origin that explains the name’s literal meaning and likely historical source.
Region: The Italian areas where the surname is most common or historically rooted, helping you target regional research.
Notable people: Brief list of notable individuals with the surname, including roles and dates to help identify historical figures.
Italian last names that start with S
| Surname | Meaning | Region | Notable people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacco | Little sack or bag; occupational name | Piedmont, Lombardy | Nicola Sacco — anarchist — 1891–1927 |
| Salerno | From the city of Salerno | Campania | Enrico Maria Salerno — actor/director — 1926–1994 |
| Salvini | Derived from Latin “salvus”, ‘safe’ or from Salvius | Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna | Matteo Salvini — politician — 1973–; Tommaso Salvini — actor — 1829–1915 |
| Santoro | From “santo”, ‘saint’ or church devotion | Campania, Basilicata | Michele Santoro — journalist/TV host — 1951– |
| Sorrentino | From Sorrento, toponymic | Campania | Paolo Sorrentino — film director/screenwriter — 1970– |
| Sforza | Nickname meaning ‘force’ or ‘strong’ | Lombardy | Francesco Sforza — condottiero, Duke of Milan — 1401–1466; Ludovico Sforza — Duke of Milan — 1452–1508 |
| Savoia | Italian form of “Savoy” (Savoia) royal house | Piedmont | Vittorio Emanuele II — first King of Italy — 1820–1878 |
| Savonarola | Occupational/epithet from “savonar” (soap boiler) or locality | Tuscany | Girolamo Savonarola — Dominican friar — 1452–1498 |
| Sartori | Occupational: tailor (Venetian form) | Veneto | Franco Sartori — regional politician — (various) |
| Sarti | Occupational: tailor | Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany | Giuseppe Sarti — composer — 1729–1802 |
| Scarpa | Shoemaker; from “scarpa” meaning shoe | Veneto, Campania | Carlo Scarpa — architect/designer — 1906–1978 |
| Segre | Likely from Latin “seger” or Hebrew origins integrated in Italy | Piedmont, Jewish communities | Liliana Segre — Holocaust survivor, senator for life — 1930– |
| Severi | From Latin “severus”, ‘stern’ or descendant | Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna | Francesco Severi — mathematician — 1879–1961 |
| Sinatra | Possibly from “son of Santa” or Sicilian dialect forms | Sicily | Frank Sinatra — singer/actor — 1915–1998 |
| Sorrentino | From Sorrento, toponymic | Campania | Paolo Sorrentino — film director — 1970– |
| Sinisgalli | Toponymic or derived from Sardinian/Calabrian place names | Apulia, Basilicata | Carmelo Sinisgalli — (regional figures) |
| Sforza | (Duplicate avoided) See Sforza above | Lombardy | Francesco Sforza — Duke of Milan — 1401–1466 |
| Spinelli | From “spina”, ‘thorn’, or toponymic | Campania, Lazio | Altiero Spinelli — political activist/federalist — 1907–1986 |
| Spinola | Genoese noble family name, from “spina” | Liguria | Ambrogio Spinola — Genoese general — 1569–1630 |
| Strozzi | Florentine patrician family name | Tuscany | Bernardo Strozzi — painter — 1581–1644 |
| Stella | From “stella”, ‘star’ (nickname) | Lombardy, Veneto | Andrea Stella — Formula 1 engineer — contemporary |
| Speranza | From “speranza”, ‘hope’ (virtue name) | Campania | Roberto Speranza — politician — 1979– |
| Scalia | Possibly occupational from Latin “scalarius” | Sicily | Antonin Scalia — U.S. Supreme Court Justice — 1936–2016 |
| Sciarra | Nickname from dialect meaning ‘quarrel, dispute’ | Lazio | Sciarra Colonna — member of the Colonna family — medieval period |
| Scarso | From “scarso”, ‘scarce’ or nickname | Sicily, Calabria | Local figures in southern Italy |
| Seghezzi | Probably from Germanic given name “Sigehard” via Lombard influence | Lombardy | Historic regional figures |
| Severino | Patronymic of Severus, ‘stern’ | Campania | Vincenzo Severino — artist — (19th–20th c.) |
| Serra | From “serra”, ‘greenhouse’ or topographic ‘ridge’ | Sardinia, Liguria | Michele Serra — writer/journalist — 1954– |
Descriptions
Sacco
Common in northern Italy; occupational or nickname origin. Many variants (Sacci), notable from the Sacco and Vanzetti case.
Salerno
Toponymic surname from the Gulf of Salerno; widespread in Campania and among emigrant communities.
Salvini
Patronymic/derivative of Salvo/Salvius. Present across central Italy with notable historical and modern figures.
Santoro
Common southern surname tied to religious devotion; variants: Santori, Santoroğlu (diaspora).
Sorrentino
Originally indicating origin from Sorrento; common in Campania and among Italian expatriates.
Sforza
Famous Milanese ducal family; historically powerful, strong political and cultural influence in northern Italy.
Savoia
Associated with the House of Savoy; noble, Piedmontese origins; used by descendants and retainers.
Savonarola
Famous Florentine preacher. Surname known for the 15th-century religious reformer; strong Tuscan links.
Sartori
Common in Veneto and northeastern Italy; variant of Sarto/Sarti. Indicates ancestor’s profession as tailor.
Sarti
Widespread surname from “sarto” (tailor). Frequent across central and northern Italy with many local variants.
Scarpa
Found in both north and south; associated with cobbling or nickname origins. Notable in arts and architecture.
Segre
Prominent in northern Jewish communities; well-established Italian surname with notable public figures.
Severi
Historic Tuscan surname; several notable academics and professionals. Variants include Severino.
Sinatra
Originally Sicilian; became globally famous via Italian-American emigrants. Still found in Sicily and diaspora communities.
Sorrentino
(Duplicate entry removed if already listed) Widely recognized as a Surname of Campanian origin indicating Sorrento roots.
Sinisgalli
Less common; southern Italy prevalence with local branches and historical records.
Sforza
Historic ducal surname tied to Milanese power and Renaissance patronage.
Spinelli
Old noble and bourgeois families across Italy; associated with politics, banking, and activism.
Spinola
Prominent in Genoa and northern maritime republics; historic noble lineage with military and political roles.
Strozzi
Well-known Florentine surname; bankers, patrons and artists among bearers. Strong Renaissance connections.
Stella
Simple, evocative surname widespread in northern and central Italy; used by many families and public figures.
Speranza
Often southern, reflecting a virtue-name tradition. Appears in many regional records since early modern era.
Scalia
Sicilian origins; present in southern Italy and diaspora. Antonin Scalia made name internationally.
Sciarra
Historic Lazio surname or epithet tied to the Colonna nobility; appears in medieval chronicles.
Scarso
Regional southern surname, often Sicilian or Calabrian. Likely began as a descriptive nickname for smallness or scarcity.
Seghezzi
Typical Lombard surname with medieval Germanic roots; more common in northern provinces.
Severino
Common in southern and central Italy; variants: Severi, Severin. Often patronymic or descriptive origins.
Serra
Very common in Sardinia and Liguria. Multiple independent origins: occupational, topographic, or descriptive.