Surname distribution maps provide a way to learn what parts of Italy your surname is most frequently found. This may indicate a place of origin for your ancestor.
The GENSsearch engine displays how last names are distributed around Italy. This search engine was built based on the Italian Phone Directory.
European countries, as Italy, have been along the centuries populated by different ethnical groups, with different cultures and languages. It led to the development of also different dialects. By consequence, many surnames where shaped by regional language characteristics.
In brief: some Italian last names are very common and spread by the whole country, and other last names are geographically located in only a couple of departments.
See also: Italian Surname Locator - Cognomix - il portale dei cognomi italiani offers a map of Italian surnames. This map contains stats on the distribution of the surname according to regions, provinces or Italian communes.
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Sapegno: a very rare Italian Surname
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Colombo: a very common Italian Surname | |
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| Fraire : a typical surname of Northern Italy (Cuneo and Torino) |
