SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Mapelli

Origin and meaning

The authors agree that this surname is of Lombard origin and derives from the place name Mapello, a locality in the Bergamo area. E. De Felice characterizes it as a Lombard surname formed directly from that place name.

E. Rossoni specifies that its area of diffusion extends between Bergamo, Lecco and Milan. As for the etymology of the place name, Rossoni records the hypothesis of Olivieri: the name Mapello would derive from the dialect word of the Milan area mappa, which designated the cauliflower, with an analogy in the term of the canton of Ticino mapp, which meant "ear of maize", both linked to the geographical position of the place.

For its part, the source of Surnames in Italy adds historical documentation of interest: the family appears in the list of the Mille Homines Pergami of 1156, a Guillelmus de Mapello is recorded as rector of Lombardy in 1178, and in 1350 a Petrus de Mapello figures in the statutes of the merchants of Monza.

Geographic distribution: Lombardy, Milan

📍 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.