SURNAMES IN ITALY

Piccioloni

This form is a variant of the surname Piccioli.

Origin and meaning

The surname Picciolo is of nickname origin and derives from bynames formed from the term picciolo ('small', 'little boy'). On this point E. Rossoni and V. Blunda agree, noting that it comes from medieval forms such as Picciolus, used initially as a nickname and then also as a personal name.

E. Rossoni documents its use from the Middle Ages, while V. Blunda highlights its affectionate value in the dialect sphere, applied to children, young people or people of short stature. In this way, the surname reflects a descriptive or family designation, later fixed as a hereditary surname.

Variants

Geographic distribution: Piccioli is typical of the area comprising the Modena area, the Bologna area, Tuscany, the Pesaro area, the Ancona area and Umbria, with a presence also in Rome. Picciolini, very rare, has a Umbrian area of presence and another between the Siena and Grosseto areas, with a presence also in Rome. Picciolli, extremely rare, is Tuscan. Picciollo is practically unique. Picciolo has a presence in the Lecce area and in the Messina area. Piccioloni, very rare, has a presence in the Perugia area.

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

Comparative analysis based on 2 authors: where they agree, the hypothesis is strengthened; where they differ, the alternative interpretations are presented.

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
  • Blunda, V. (2018). Supposte origini dei cognomi in Sicilia [Digital edition]. Retrieved from https://www.trapaninostra.it