SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Pozzi

Origin and meaning

Locative surname meaning "a well" from Latin puteus. Pozzo as a regional word also means a pond or stagnant water.

The surname Pozzi is of toponymic origin and derives from place names formed from the term pozzo ("well") and its variants. On this point E. De Felice and E. Rossoni agree, noting that the surname is linked with numerous place names diffused throughout Italy, as well as with related forms such as Pozza, Pozzale or Pozzato.

Along the same lines, E. Rossoni adds that it may also have originated as a reference to the place of residence of the ancestor, indicating one who lived near a well. In this way, the surname reflects both a territorial origin and a descriptive designation linked to the environment.

Variants

Altered forms and derivatives

Geographic distribution: The North (predominantly); Pozzesi proper to Tuscany; Putzu specific to Sardinia; Pozza, Pozzan, Pozzati, Pozzato, Pozzatti in the Venetias and Emilia-Romagna

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

Comparative analysis based on 3 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:

  • 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.