The surname Menna is widely diffused in Lazio, in the area between the provinces of Pescara —especially that of Chieti— and Campobasso, as well as in Campania, above all in the provinces of Naples and Avellino, and also in Puglia.

Mennella is characteristic of Campania, particularly of the province of Salerno and, above all, of that of Naples, although it also shows cores in the provinces of Foggia, Rome and Latina. Mennelli, fairly rare, appears to be concentrated at San Severo (province of Foggia), as does the still more infrequent Mennello.

Menni, very uncommon, appears to be of Lombard origin, probably from the provinces of Bergamo or Brescia, and could derive from a shortened form of the place name Almenno (province of Bergamo). The variant Menno is today practically extinct.

All these surnames would derive, directly or through diminutives, from the medieval name Menna or Mennus, documented in old writings connected with Saint Menna. It cannot be ruled out, however, that some cases have a toponymic origin, from localities containing the root Menna, such as Santa Menna (province of L'Aquila), Masserie di Menna (province of Isernia) or Santomenno (province of Salerno).

There are early testimonies of its use as a surname: in a deed of sale from Pavia dated 1171 it already appears documented, while in the second half of the 17th century a Caterina Mennella is recorded at Lacco Ameno (province of Naples).

According to another interpretation, Mennella would be a surname proper to Puglia and Basilicata, derived as a diminutive from the Salentine dialect term mènna and the Sicilian minna, both with the meaning of "breast".