Where the Ferrara surname comes from
For the Ferrara surname, scholars point to two paths. The first is the medieval Latin ferraria, “place of iron”: the forge where iron was worked, or the mine it was dug from. The second is the city of Ferrara: someone who came from there and moved elsewhere became “Ferrara.” The PDF explains which of the two is more likely, from one region to the next.
A sword with an Italian name
Between the 1500s and the 1700s, many swords of the Scottish clans bore an Italian name engraved on the blade. It was the name of a swordsmith, and it looks a lot like your surname. Who he really was, historians still debate: his story, along with that of the city of the Este, is in the PDF.
Where the Ferraras live today
Ferrara is mostly a surname of the South. There are about 15,300 families in Italy: the heart is Campania, followed by Sicily, Lombardy and Apulia. The town where it is the top surname is San Felice a Cancello, in the province of Caserta. The region-by-region map and the countries around the world where the family settled are in the PDF.
Variants
The surname has close cousins: one born from the blacksmith’s trade, others from the name of the city. The PDF explains where each one comes from.
| Surname | Where it is concentrated |
|---|---|
| Ferrara | Campania, Sicily, Lombardy |
| Ferraro | Campania, Calabria, Sicily |
| Ferrarese | Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont |
| Ferraresi | Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy |
FAQ
What does the Ferrara surname mean?
There are two paths. The first is the medieval Latin ferraria, the iron forge or iron mine. The second is the city of Ferrara, for people who came from there.
Do the Ferraras come from the city of Ferrara?
Not all of them. Today the surname is strongest in the South, far from the city in Emilia-Romagna, and there the forge path is likely. Families in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, on the other hand, may descend from someone who came from the city.
Is Ferrara a surname from Campania or from Sicily?
Both, but mostly from Campania. Campania is the heart of the surname, followed by Sicily. It is also among the top surnames in Basilicata and in the province of Salerno.
Are Ferrara and Ferraro the same surname?
They are close relatives. Ferraro comes from the blacksmith’s trade and is the nearest cousin in the South. In old records the same family can appear in different forms.
Are all Ferraras related?
No. The surname was born in different ways and in many regions. To rebuild your own family history you need birth records and parish registers.
Is the Ferrara surname noble?
The surname itself doesn’t mean nobility. The archives record noble Ferrara families in Naples, in Altavilla Silentina and in Rome. Nearly all Ferrara families, though, never had a coat of arms.
Is there a Ferrara family coat of arms?
Some noble Ferrara families had their own coat of arms, but it belonged to that specific branch. There is no single coat of arms for all Ferraras.
