Where the Ferrante surname comes from
Ferrante was a first name, the Italian form of Ferdinand. It comes from the Old French Ferrant, which the Spanish said as Fernando or Ferrando. The children of a man named Ferrante were “Ferrante’s folks,” and the father’s name became the surname. Scholars also point to a second path, tied to the color of iron, which the PDF explains.
The name of a king
In the 1400s Ferrante was the name of a king of Naples, who had landed from Spain at fourteen. When a king bears a name, his subjects give it to their children. The PDF tells who he was, and which famous Ferrantes came after him, down to a character in The Betrothed.
Where the Ferrantes live today
Ferrante is a surname of central and southern Italy. There are about 7,200 families in Italy, concentrated in Campania, Lazio and Sicily. Nearly all of these were lands of the old Kingdom of Naples and of Sicily. The town where it is the top surname is in Irpinia: Luogosano, in the province of Avellino. The region-by-region map and the countries around the world where the family settled are in the PDF.
Variants
The same name gave rise to a few cousin surnames, across central Italy, Campania and Sicily. One of them recalls a king: the PDF explains where each one comes from.
| Surname | Where it is concentrated |
|---|---|
| Ferrante | Campania, Lazio, Sicily |
| Ferranti | Lazio, Umbria, Marche |
| Ferrandino | Campania, Apulia, Lombardy |
| Ferrantelli | Sicily, Lazio, Lombardy |
FAQ
What does the Ferrante surname mean?
It comes from the medieval name Ferrante, that is, Ferdinand, from the Old French Ferrant. It marked the children of a man with that name. Scholars also mention a theory tied to hair as gray as iron.
Is Ferrante a Neapolitan surname?
It is mostly from Campania, but it is also strong in Lazio and Sicily. The town where it is the top surname is Luogosano, in Irpinia.
Do the Ferrantes descend from King Ferrante of Naples?
No. Bearing a king’s name doesn’t mean descending from him. Many towns had a Ferrante who passed the name on to his children.
Are Ferrante and Ferrari the same surname?
No. Ferrari, Ferraro and Ferrara come from the blacksmith’s trade or from places tied to iron. Ferrante comes from a personal name.
Are Ferrante and Ferranti the same surname?
Yes. Ferranti is the form ending in -i used in central Italy. In old records the same family can appear with an -e or with an -i.
Are all Ferrantes related?
No. The surname was born in many towns, each time from a different Ferrante. To rebuild your own family history you need birth records and parish registers.
Is the Ferrante surname noble?
The surname itself doesn’t mean nobility. In the Renaissance the name Ferrante was also borne by kings and princes, but the surname was born from many different fathers.
Is there a Ferrante family coat of arms?
No. King Ferrante’s arms were those of the House of Aragon, not of the people who carry his name as a surname. There is no single coat of arms for all Ferrantes.
