Surname Teofilo
Origin and meaning
The authors agree that the surname derives from the Greek proper name Theóphilos, whose meaning is "beloved of God" or "dear to God".
A. Bongioanni notes that the name was not very frequent and points, with little certainty, to a possible connection with the surname Tóffoli, in competition with the form Cristoforo. P. Durante confirms the Greek origin of the proper name as the base of the surname, without adding further information.
Altered forms and derivatives
📍 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.
- Bergamo, N. (2013, May 21). Impero Romano d'Oriente 330–1453 la sua storia. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from https://www.imperobizantino.it/