SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Antola

Origin and meaning

According to E. De Felice, Antola is a toponymic surname derived from Mount Antola, a prominent peak of the Ligurian Apennines located between the upper Scrivia and Trebbia valleys. The surname originally identified a person who came from, lived near, or was associated with this mountainous area. De Felice notes that the surname is particularly widespread in eastern and central Liguria and extends into neighboring parts of Emilia.

E. Rossoni agrees with this interpretation and likewise traces the surname to the oronym Antola, preserving the memory of the family's geographical origin. He distinguishes Antola from related surnames such as Antolini and Antolino, which are more likely derived from modifications of the personal name Antonio rather than from the mountain name.

Overall, Antola is a surname of geographical origin linked to Mount Antola and the surrounding Ligurian Apennine region, reflecting the ancestral homeland of the family.

💡 The surname Antola also appears as variant of the surname Antolini in other studies consulted in this project.

Variants

Geographic distribution: East-central Liguria, Emilia

📍 You can view how this surname is distributed in Italy: View distribution in Italy (Cognomix)

This entry brings together what 3 authors propose about the origin of the surname. In some cases they agree and reinforce a single hypothesis; in others, they contribute different views worth considering.

Sources

This entry of the Italian Surname Meanings dictionary is based on the following specialized onomastic sources:

  • De Felice, E. (1978). Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. Milano: Mondadori.
  • Rossoni, E. (2002). Origine e storia dei cognomi italiani. Retrieved from https://www.cognomiitaliani.org
  • Research conducted by Surnames in Italy, the English-language project of Ancestros Italianos, based on the bibliography cited in the references.