Where the Virzì surname comes from
Virzì comes from an old Latin personal name, Virzius or Virtius, already carved in Roman inscriptions of the first centuries after Christ. That baptismal name, passed from father to son, became the surname. It is the oldest and simplest way surnames are born.
A rare surname, but a known one
The surname is rare and tied to a few areas of the island, yet some Virzìs are very well known in Italy. The PDF tells who they are, and where their family comes from.
Where the Virzìs live today
Virzì is a Sicilian surname, rare and highly localized: just under 3,000 people carry it in Italy. Its heartland is inland Sicily, on the Nebrodi mountains, and it is solid in the Enna area too. The town where it is the most common surname is Cesarò, in the province of Messina. The families in Lombardy, Piedmont and Lazio came with the emigration of the 1900s. The PDF has the region-by-region map and the countries around the world they reached.
Variants
The PDF records no widespread variants of Virzì. In the old records you also find the form without the accent, Virzi.
FAQ
What does the surname Virzì mean?
It comes from the old Latin personal name Virzius, also written Virtius. It is a baptismal name that became a surname, the simplest way family names are born. In the old records you also find the form without the accent, Virzi.
Is Virzì a Sicilian surname?
Yes. It is rooted in inland Sicily, on the Nebrodi and in the Enna area. The families outside the island almost all come from the emigration of the 1900s.
Are there famous Virzìs?
Yes, three Virzìs left their mark, from cinema to sport. The PDF tells who they are and where their family comes from. The surname remains rare: those who carry it far from the island almost always have Sicilian roots.
How many Virzìs are there?
In Italy just under 3,000 people, worldwide a little over four thousand. These are estimates, and the great majority live in Sicily.
Are all Virzìs related?
Not necessarily. Because the surname is tied to a few areas, several Virzì families can live in the same town without close ties. Family nicknames are often what tells them apart.
Is the Virzì surname noble?
The surname does not come from a noble house. It comes from a personal name of Roman times, carried mostly by farmers, shepherds and village families of inland Sicily.
Is there a Virzì family coat of arms?
There is no coat of arms that belongs to all Virzìs. The surname has no great heraldic tradition: if a family had one, it was theirs alone.
Where do I look for my Virzì ancestors?
Start from your family’s exact town, on the Nebrodi or in the Enna area. In Sicily civil registration begins in 1820; before that, look in the parish registers kept after the Council of Trent.
