Ammirati, Ammirato, Ammirata, Amirato and Amirata are southern Italian surnames derived from the medieval name Ammirato or Amirato. Despite their similarity to the Italian verb ammirare ("to admire"), their origin is not related to this term, but to the Arabic word amir, meaning "prince", "chief" or "governor". From the same etymon also come the Spanish words emir and almirante.

The diffusion of these surnames reflects the Arabic linguistic and cultural influence in southern Italy, especially in Sicily and in the regions that formed part of the old Kingdom of Sicily. In this context there also existed the title of amiratus, used to designate high dignities of the kingdom. A famous example is George of Antioch, appointed amiratus amiratorum ("admiral of admirals") by King Roger II of Sicily in 1132.

According to Rossoni, Ammirati has its main cluster in the Naples area, with secondary presences in the provinces of Crotone, Imperia, Pescara and Chieti. Ammirato is characteristic of the province of Cosenza and also appears, though less frequently, in the areas of Bari, Brindisi, Caserta and Naples. Ammirata is concentrated mainly in Sicily and Calabria, especially in the provinces of Palermo and Cosenza. The forms Amirato and Amirata are very rare and are found respectively in the Cosenza area and in Pozzuoli, in the province of Naples.

The form Ammiri, documented in Argentine records, probably constitutes a simplification of the original surname Ammirati, produced by the loss of the final syllable -ati, a phenomenon occasionally observed in the adaptation and transmission of Italian surnames in Argentina.