Bulgari is a surname of ethnic origin derived from the medieval personal name Bulgaro, meaning "Bulgar" or "belonging to the people of the Bulgars." According to F. De Laurentiis, the surname developed as a patronymic form based on this personal name, which was already documented as early as the 8th century.

The ethnonym originally referred to the Bulgars, a people of Turkic origin who played an important role in the history of Eastern Europe and the Balkans. As with many medieval ethnic surnames, the name was used to identify individuals associated with a particular people, whether through ancestry, origin, military service, or cultural connections.

Distribution

The sources consulted do not provide a detailed modern distribution for Bulgari. The surname is historically associated with northern Italy, where the personal name Bulgaro became established during the Lombard period.

Variants and Related Surnames

Bulgari belongs to a group of surnames derived from the same ethnic and personal-name root, including Bulgarelli, Bulgarello, Bulgarini, and Bulgarino.

Notes

According to De Laurentiis, the early spread of the name in Italy is linked to the arrival of Bulgar groups who served as mercenaries and military auxiliaries of the Lombards. Historical sources record their presence beginning with the invasion led by Alboin in 568 and continuing under rulers such as Grimoald and other Lombard kings and dukes.

The surname therefore preserves the memory of medieval ethnic groups whose presence contributed to the formation of personal names and hereditary surnames in Italy.