Anelli

According to E. De Felice, Anelli is a surname derived from the personal name or nickname Anello, which originates from the Italian word anello (“ring”). In medieval usage, the term could also refer to a “curl of hair,” giving rise to nicknames based on physical appearance. De Felice documents the personal name in southern Italy as early as 1297 and notes that the surname is particularly widespread in Lombardy in the form Anelli, while Anello is more common in southern Italy, especially in Sicily.

E. Rossoni agrees with this interpretation and suggests that the surname may have originated from a nickname connected with a distinctive ring or piece of jewelry owned or worn by the founder of the family. He also considers the possibility that it referred to a person with notably curly hair. In addition, Rossoni notes that some occurrences of the surname may represent an evolved form of Agnelli, passing through intermediate variants such as Anielli.

Overall, Anelli is a surname derived from a medieval nickname or personal name linked to the word anello (“ring”), either as a reference to jewelry, a physical characteristic such as curly hair, or, in some cases, as a variant of Agnelli.