SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Porto

Origin and meaning

E. De Felice and E. Rossoni agree that the surname derives from the numerous place names containing the root Porto, diffused throughout Italy.

De Felice specifies that the term porto is understood in the sense of "port (maritime, fluvial, lacustrine)," and also in that of "ford, ferry (of watercourses)."

Rossoni adds that, as an alternative hypothesis, the surname could originate in the fact that the founder of the family lived near a port.

Variants

Geographic distribution: Italy; Puorto proper to the Neapolitan area; Da Porto or Dapporto of Veneto and Emilia-Romagna

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

This entry brings together what 2 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