Where the Massimo surname comes from
Massimo comes from the Latin Maximus, the superlative of magnus: it means “the greatest.” In Rome it was an honorary nickname, and later a personal name. In the Middle Ages it passed to the children and grandchildren of a man named Massimo and became a surname. That is why it was born in many different places, in many different families.
A story twelve hundred years old
In Rome the Massimo are one of the oldest families: a stone inscription from the year 1012 already mentions one of them. For centuries they said they descended from a great Roman general. When Napoleon asked the prince whether it was true, he got an answer that became famous. You’ll find that answer in the PDF, along with the first books printed in a Massimo house.
Where the Massimo families live today
Massimo is a surname found all over Italy: there are about 950 families. Almost a third live in Campania, followed by Lazio and Lombardy. Next come Calabria and Molise, where there is even a town called San Massimo. The region-by-region map and the countries around the world they reached are in the PDF.
Variants
The same name lives on in three forms: one in the plural and one that means “son of Massimo.” The PDF explains why each one took its own road.
| Surname | Where it is concentrated |
|---|---|
| Massimo | Campania, Lazio, Lombardy |
| Massimi | Lazio, Abruzzo, Marche |
| Di Massimo | Abruzzo, Lazio, Lombardy |
FAQ
What does the surname Massimo mean?
“The greatest.” It comes from the Latin Maximus, the superlative of magnus. In Rome it was an honorary nickname and then a personal name, which became a surname in the Middle Ages.
Is Massimo a surname from Campania?
It is found all over Italy, but almost a third of the families live in Campania. Next come Lazio and Lombardy, then Calabria and Molise.
Are Massimo and Massimi the same surname?
They share the same origin, the name Massimo. Massimi is the plural form, found mostly in Lazio: even the Roman family often appears as “the Massimi.” In Latin records the same family may be written de Maximis.
What does Di Massimo mean?
“Son of Massimo.” It is a typical form of Abruzzo and Lazio, born from the same name.
Are all Massimos related?
No. The surname was born from a personal name, many times over and in different places. To trace your own family’s story you need birth records and parish registers.
Is the Massimo surname noble?
In Rome there is the family of the Massimo princes, one of the oldest in the city. But almost all Massimos today, whether in Naples, Foggia or Milan, come from different families.
Is there a Massimo family coat of arms?
The family of the Massimo princes of Rome has its own coat of arms, but it belongs to that house. No single coat of arms belongs to every Massimo in Italy.
