SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Ruzza

Origin and meaning

E. Rossoni and F. De Laurentiis agree that the surname may derive, in Veneto, from the dialect term ruzza, which indicates an annoying noise or buzzing.

Rossoni notes that the surname is fairly diffused in Veneto —in the Rovigo, Padua and Venice areas—, in western Lombardy, in the Turin area, in the centre-south of Lazio and in the Irpinia.

Rossoni suggests that in Veneto it could derive from nicknames originated in dialect words, from the term ruzza ("annoying noise"). In Lazio and Campania, on the other hand, it could derive from the suppression of the first syllable of modifications of the name Maria (Maruzza).

De Laurentiis specifies that it has as its base the nickname Ruzza, given to one who has "a whim for joking and playing, capricious."

Geographic distribution: The Rovigo, Padua and Venice areas, western Lombardy, the Turin area, Lazio, the Irpinia

📍 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
  • De Laurentiis, F. (2003). Cognomi occhiobellesi. Storia, curiosità, significati e classifiche. Occhiobello: Teatro Polivalente di Occhiobello (T.P.O.). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20030516113456/http://www.comune.occhiobello.ro.it/cognomi/