Where the Bongiovanni surname comes from
Bongiovanni comes from the medieval name Bonus Johannes, “good John.” It was one of the hopeful names given to children, like Bonaventura and Benvenuto. Giovanni, or John, was the most common name in Europe, and “good” also helped tell one John from the others. Then the name passed to the children and became the family’s surname.
From Sciacca to American rock
Jon Bon Jovi, one of the most famous rock stars in the world, carries a Sicilian form of this surname. As a teenager he still played under his family name. The PDF tells where that name comes from, and what name his first record came out under.
Where the Bongiovannis live today
There are about 3,200 Bongiovanni families in Italy. The surname has two hearts, almost even: Piedmont, centered in the province of Cuneo, and Sicily. The town where it ranks number one is Treiso, in the Langhe. Many families who came from both sides live in Lombardy, and in Emilia-Romagna there is a small, old root. The region-by-region map and the countries around the world the Bongiovannis reached are in the PDF.
Variants
Every dialect pronounced “good John” its own way, from Piedmont to Tuscany to Sicily. The PDF explains which forms were born and where they are concentrated.
| Surname | Where it is concentrated |
|---|---|
| Bongiovanni | Piedmont, Sicily, Lombardy |
| Bongini | Tuscany, Lombardy |
| Bongioanni | Piedmont |
| Bongianni | Tuscany, Lazio |
| Bongiovi | Sicily |
FAQ
What does the surname Bongiovanni mean?
“Good John,” from the medieval name Bonus Johannes. It was a hopeful name given to children, later passed down to their children as a family name.
Is Bongiovanni a Sicilian or a Piedmontese surname?
Both. The surname has several roots, born independently, and today Piedmont and Sicily are almost even. The town where it holds its record is Treiso, in the Langhe.
Are Bongiovanni and Bongiovi the same surname?
They share the same origin: Bongiovi is a shortened Sicilian form of “good John,” still mostly Sicilian today. In Piedmont, on the other hand, there is the form Bongioanni.
Is Jon Bon Jovi’s real name Bongiovanni?
No. His legal name is John Francis Bongiovi, a Sicilian form of the same name. We don’t know whether his ancestors were recorded as Bongiovanni: only the town records can tell.
Are all Bongiovannis related?
No. A hopeful name this simple was born in many towns, among different families. To trace your own story you need birth records and parish registers.
Is the Bongiovanni surname noble?
The surname itself is not a sign of nobility: it comes from a hopeful name. It was carried by families of every walk of life, farmers, winegrowers, craftsmen and fishermen, and almost none of them ever had a coat of arms.
Is there a Bongiovanni family coat of arms?
Some Bongiovanni families in Rome and Sicily had one, each its own. There is no coat of arms that belongs to all Bongiovannis.
