SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Gasparetti

Origin and meaning

The authors agree that it is a patronymic variant derived from the given name Gaspare, formed by means of the double diminutive-affective suffix -etti —a combination of -etto plus the plural patronymic -i—, characteristic of the onomastics of centre-northern Italy. The result evokes the sense of "the little descendants of the family of Gaspare".

On the geographical distribution, the authors agree in noting two main zones: a Lombard cluster covering the Varese, Milan, Bergamo and Brescia areas, and another more consistent one in the Ancona area, in the region of the Marche.

E. Rossoni specifies that this surname and its variants derive, directly or indirectly, from the Late Latin name Gaspar or Gasparus, to which he attributes a Hebrew or more specifically Levitical origin. Surnames in Italy, on the other hand, proposes an ancient Persian etymology, possibly from the term gaθbara, with the sense of "treasurer" or "bearer of treasures".

Both sources agree that the name Gaspare corresponds to one of the three Magi of the post-evangelical tradition and that its diffusion in Italy occurred during the Late Middle Ages, driven by the cult of the three Magi.

💡 The surname Gasparetti also appears as altered forms of the surnames Gaspare and Gaspari in other studies consulted in this project.

Variants

Geographic distribution: Gasparetti has a Lombard zone comprising the Varese, Milan, Bergamo and Brescia areas, and a more important zone in the Ancona area. Gasparetto is peculiar to the Veneto, very spread in the Treviso area and with presence also in the Padua, Rovigo, Verona, Vicenza and Venice areas. Gaspari is spread in the centre-north. Gasparini is spread throughout the centre-north. Gasparino seems peculiar to Genoa and to the Alessandria and Savona areas. Gasparoni has a zone between the Verona and Vicenza areas and another in the Ancona area. Gasparotti has a zone in the Brescia area in Iseo and Vezza d'Oglio and another in Carrara. Gasparotto is peculiar to the Venetan-Friulian area, especially of the Vicenza, Treviso and Pordenone areas. Gasparri is more present in the central strip, in Emilia and Tuscany, with perhaps a zone in the Milan area. Gasparrini has a zone in the Florence area, one in the area comprising the Perugia, Ancona, Macerata and Piceno areas, and another in the Rome area. Gasparrino, absolutely rare, seems of the Caserta and Naples areas. Gasparrone is practically unique. Gasparroni seems peculiar to the Adriatic coastal area comprising the Ancona, Macerata, Piceno, Teramo and Pescara areas. Gasparucci, extremely rare, is of the Pesaro area. Gasperi seems native to Trentino. Gasperini is spread throughout the centre-south. Gasperino is almost unique. Gasperoni has an important nucleus in Romagna between the Ravenna, Forlì and Rimini areas, and a zone in Rome.

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

Drawing on 3 authors, this entry presents the different hypotheses about the origin of the surname, avoiding a single oversimplified explanation.

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.