SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Blefari

Origin and meaning

According to E. Rossoni, it is a typically Calabrian surname, from Bovalino and Benestare (Reggio Calabria area), Cirò and Cirò Marina (Crotone area), Crosia and Rossano (Cosenza area). It would derive from a nickname of the Greek-Calabrian dialect originating in the term blefares ("eyelid").

P. Durante notes that it is a surname of Greek origin: "eyelashes", from blèphara.

Geographic distribution: Calabria (Reggio Calabria, Crotone and Cosenza area)

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

Comparative analysis based on 3 authors: where they agree, the hypothesis is strengthened; where they differ, the alternative interpretations are presented.

Sources

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

  • Rossoni, E. (2002). Origine e storia dei cognomi italiani. Retrieved from https://www.cognomiitaliani.org
  • Bergamo, N. (2013, May 21). Impero Romano d'Oriente 330–1453 la sua storia. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from https://www.imperobizantino.it/
  • Blunda, V. (2018). Supposte origini dei cognomi in Sicilia [Digital edition]. Retrieved from https://www.trapaninostra.it