SURNAMES IN ITALY

Placidi

This form is an altered form of the surname Placido.

Origin and meaning

A. Bongioanni and E. Rossoni agree on the Latin origin of the surname, linked to the name Placidus.

Bongioanni identifies it as a given name of evident meaning (an auspicious name), corresponding to a 6th-century saint celebrated on 5 October. He notes that it generates no surname other than Placidi.

Rossoni specifies that it derives from the Latin byname Placidus, documented in the Carmina of Sidonius Apollinaris.

Altered forms and derivatives

Geographic distribution: Present in a scattered way throughout the country, with specific pockets in Rionero in Vulture (Potenza area) and Foggia

📍 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:

  • Bongioanni, A. (1940). Nomi e Cognomi. Saggio di ricerche etimologiche e storiche. Milano: Fratelli Bocca.
  • Rossoni, E. (2002). Origine e storia dei cognomi italiani. Retrieved from https://www.cognomiitaliani.org