SURNAMES IN ITALY

Nencioni

This form is an altered form of the surname Nenci.

Origin and meaning

The scholars consulted agree that this surname derives from the medieval personal name Nencio, a Tuscan dialect hypocoristic of Lorenzo. E. De Felice adds that in some cases it may also derive from Vincenzo. E. Rossoni specifies that the form Nencio is documented in the 15th century, and that its transformation into a surname is recorded in Siena as early as the 14th century. It is also noted that the name carries the meaning of "son of Nencio."

Regarding geographical distribution, Rossoni indicates that Nenci is typical of Florence, while Nencini is found throughout Tuscany and Nencioni is characteristic of the area between Pisa and Florence. De Felice, for his part, emphasizes that the variants Nencini and Nencioni are especially frequent in Tuscany.

Altered forms and derivatives

Geographic distribution: Tuscany (frequent; especially Nencini and Nencioni)

📍 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.