SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Gelmi

Origin and meaning

E. Rossoni notes that the surname derives from the medieval name Gelmus, a Latinized and abbreviated form of the Germanic name Wilhelm. A trace of this name appears in 1525 in Lovere, in the Bergamo area, in a deed of sale where a certain Gelmo fu Delaido Facheris de Castelfranco figures.

As for the geographical distribution, Rossoni indicates that the surname is peculiar to the Bergamo, Brescia and lower Trentino areas. The variant Gelmo, of very scarce presence, seems of Venetan origin.

For its part, it is considered that the surname has an anthroponymic base and refers to the Germanic Wilhelm, composed of the elements meaning "will" and "protection". The Val Seriana —a valley located in the Bergamo area, in Lombardy— is also mentioned as a reference area for this surname, and Ginammi and Guelmani are noted as related surnames.

💡 The surname Gelmi also appears as variant of the surname Gelmetti; also altered form of the surname Guglielmo in other studies consulted in this project.

Variants

Geographic distribution: Gelmi is peculiar to the Bergamo, Brescia and lower Trentino areas. Gelmo, very scarce, seems Venetan.

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

This entry brings together what 2 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:

  • 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.