lastnamegenerators

Mafia Last Names

These mafia last names are ordinary Italian, Sicilian, Italian American and Russian family names of the kind crime fiction uses, listed A to Z with meanings as a resource for writing fictional crime families.

290 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

  • Abruzzese

    From Abruzzo

    Italian

  • D'Agostino

    Son of Agostino, venerable

    Italian

  • Aiello

    Farmyard or threshing floor

    Italian

  • D'Alessandro

    Son of Alessandro, defender of men

    Italian

  • Alfieri

    Standard-bearer

    Italian

  • Amato

    Beloved

    Italian

  • D'Amico

    Of the friend

    Italian

  • Amoroso

    Loving, affectionate

    Italian

  • De Angelis

    Of the angels

    Italian

  • D'Angelo

    Of Angelo, the angel

    Italian

  • Antonov

    Son of Anton

    Russian

  • Aquila

    Eagle

    Italian

  • Arena

    Sand, sandy place

    Italian

B

  • Balsamo

    Balsam

    Italian

  • Baranov

    Son of the ram

    Russian

  • Barbagallo

    Rooster's beard, a nickname

    Italian

  • Barbato

    Bearded

    Italian

  • La Barbera

    Of the barber's family

    Italian

  • Barbieri

    Barber

    Italian

  • Barone

    Baron

    Italian

  • Basile

    Royal, Greek basileios

    Italian

  • Bassi

    Short

    Italian

  • Battaglia

    Battle

    Italian

  • Bellavia

    Beautiful road

    Italian

  • Bellini

    Little handsome one

    Italian

  • Bellomo

    Handsome man

    Italian

  • Belov

    Son of the white one

    Russian

  • Belyaev

    Son of the fair one

    Russian

  • Benedetti

    Blessed

    Italian

  • Di Benedetto

    Son of Benedetto, blessed

    Italian

  • Bernardi

    Of Bernardo, brave as a bear

    Italian

  • Bianchi

    White-haired or fair

    Italian

  • Bianco

    White

    Italian

  • Di Blasi

    Son of Biagio

    Italian

  • Bondarenko

    Son of the cooper

    Ukrainian

  • Bonfiglio

    Good son

    Italian

  • Bonomo

    Good man

    Italian

  • Bruno

    Brown-haired

    Italian

  • Buonocore

    Good heart

    Italian

  • Buscemi

    From Buscemi, Sicily

    Italian

C

  • Cacciatore

    Hunter

    Italian

  • Calabrese

    From Calabria

    Italian

  • Calandra

    Lark

    Italian

  • Caltagirone

    From Caltagirone, Sicily

    Italian

  • Campanella

    Little bell

    Italian

  • Cannizzaro

    Reed mat maker, Sicilian cannizzu

    Italian

  • Cappello

    Hat, a hatmaker

    Italian

  • Caputo

    Big-headed or stubborn

    Italian

  • Carbone

    Charcoal, dark-haired

    Italian

  • Cardinale

    Cardinal, a nickname

    Italian

  • Carlucci

    Little Carlo

    Italian

  • Caruso

    Close-cropped head, or boy

    Italian

  • Castelli

    Castles

    Italian

  • Castiglione

    Castle

    Italian

  • Catalano

    Catalan

    Italian

  • Catanzaro

    From Catanzaro, Calabria

    Italian

  • Cattaneo

    Captain, a feudal rank

    Italian

  • Cavaliere

    Knight or horseman

    Italian

  • Cavallaro

    Horseman or horse dealer

    Italian

  • Cerullo

    Possibly from cerro, Turkey oak

    Italian

  • Chernov

    Son of the black one

    Russian

  • Ciccone

    Big Francesco

    Italian

  • Cirillo

    Lordly, Greek Kyrillos

    Italian

  • Colonna

    Column

    Italian

  • Coniglio

    Rabbit

    Italian

  • Conte

    Count

    Italian

  • Conti

    Count, or a count's servant

    Italian

  • Coppola

    Cap or hat, a hatmaker

    Italian

  • Corrado

    Bold counsel

    Italian

  • Corsi

    Corsicans

    Italian

  • Costa

    Coast or hillside

    Italian

  • Costantini

    Of Costantino, steadfast

    Italian

  • Crisafulli

    Golden leaf, from Greek

    Italian

  • Cuomo

    Possibly from Giacomo, James

    Italian

D

  • Donati

    Given by God

    Italian

  • Dragunov

    Son of the dragoon

    Russian

E

  • Egorov

    Son of Yegor, farmer

    Russian

  • Esposito

    Exposed; a name given to foundlings

    Italian

F

  • Fabbri

    Smiths

    Italian

  • Farina

    Flour, a miller

    Italian

  • Fazio

    From Bonifacio, good fortune

    Italian

  • Fedorov

    Son of Fyodor, gift of God

    Russian

  • Ferrante

    Iron-gray, or from Ferdinando

    Italian

  • Ferrara

    From Ferrara

    Italian

  • Ferrari

    Blacksmith

    Italian

  • Ferraro

    Blacksmith

    Italian

  • Ferretti

    Little iron worker

    Italian

  • Ferri

    Iron worker

    Italian

  • Ferro

    Iron

    Italian

  • Fiore

    Flower

    Italian

  • Fiorentino

    From Florence

    Italian

  • Fontana

    Fountain or spring

    Italian

  • Forte

    Strong

    Italian

  • Fortunato

    Fortunate, lucky

    Italian

G

  • Gagliardi

    Vigorous, brave

    Italian

  • Galli

    Roosters

    Italian

  • Gallo

    Rooster, a proud person

    Italian

  • Gatti

    Cats

    Italian

  • Gentile

    Noble or kind

    Italian

  • Giacalone

    Big Giacomo

    Italian

  • Giannini

    Little Gianni

    Italian

  • Giordano

    From Giordano, the Jordan

    Italian

  • Di Giorgio

    Son of Giorgio, farmer

    Italian

  • Giuliani

    Of Giuliano, youthful

    Italian

  • Grasso

    Fat, stout

    Italian

  • Greco

    Greek

    Italian

  • Di Gregorio

    Son of Gregorio, watchful

    Italian

  • Grillo

    Cricket, a lively person

    Italian

  • Gromov

    Son of thunder

    Russian

  • Guarino

    Protector, guardian

    Italian

  • Guerra

    War, a fighter

    Italian

  • Gusev

    Son of the goose

    Russian

I

  • Iannone

    Big Gianni

    Italian

  • Impellizzeri

    Furrier

    Italian

  • Iovino

    Little Giovanni

    Italian

  • Ivanov

    Son of Ivan

    Russian

K

  • Kalashnikov

    Son of the kalach bread baker

    Russian

  • Karpov

    Son of Karp, Greek for fruit

    Russian

  • Kotov

    Son of the cat

    Russian

  • Kovalenko

    Son of the blacksmith

    Ukrainian

  • Kozlov

    Son of the goat

    Russian

  • Krylov

    From krylo, wing

    Russian

  • Kuznetsov

    Son of the blacksmith

    Russian

L

  • Lazzaro

    God has helped

    Italian

  • Lebedev

    Son of the swan

    Russian

  • Lentini

    From Lentini, Sicily

    Italian

  • Leone

    Lion

    Italian

  • Licata

    From Licata, Sicily

    Italian

  • Lo Bianco

    The white one

    Italian

  • Lo Duca

    The duke

    Italian

  • Lo Giudice

    The judge

    Italian

  • Lo Monaco

    The monk

    Italian

  • Lombardi

    From Lombardy

    Italian

  • Lombardo

    From Lombardy

    Italian

  • Longo

    Tall

    Italian

  • De Luca

    Son of Luca

    Italian

  • Lupo

    Wolf

    Italian

M

  • Di Maggio

    Of May

    Italian

  • Mancini

    Left-handed

    Italian

  • Mancuso

    Left-handed

    Italian

  • Mangano

    Mangonel, a siege engine

    Italian

  • Maniscalco

    Farrier

    Italian

  • Manzo

    Bullock, steer

    Italian

  • Marcello

    Little Marco, of Mars

    Italian

  • Marchese

    Marquis, or a marquis's servant

    Italian

  • Marchetti

    Little Marco

    Italian

  • Di Marco

    Son of Marco

    Italian

  • Mariani

    Of Mariano, from Marius

    Italian

  • Marini

    Of the sea

    Italian

  • Marino

    Of the sea, a sailor

    Italian

  • Marsala

    From Marsala, Sicily

    Italian

  • Martinelli

    Little Martino

    Italian

  • Martini

    Son of Martino

    Italian

  • Martino

    Of Mars

    Italian

  • Di Mauro

    Son of Mauro, dark

    Italian

  • Mazza

    Mace or club

    Italian

  • Mazzola

    Little club or mallet

    Italian

  • Medvedev

    Son of the bear

    Russian

  • Messina

    From Messina, Sicily

    Italian

  • Miceli

    Possibly from Michele, Michael

    Italian

  • Mikhailov

    Son of Mikhail

    Russian

  • Milani

    From Milan

    Italian

  • Modica

    From Modica, Sicily

    Italian

  • Monti

    Mountains

    Italian

  • Morelli

    Dark-haired

    Italian

  • Morello

    Dark-haired

    Italian

  • Moretti

    Little dark one

    Italian

  • Moro

    Moor, dark-skinned

    Italian

  • Morozov

    Son of frost

    Russian

N

  • Napolitano

    From Naples

    Italian

  • Negri

    Black-haired

    Italian

  • Neri

    Black, dark-haired

    Italian

  • Nero

    Black

    Italian

  • Nicosia

    From Nicosia, Sicily

    Italian

  • Nikitin

    Son of Nikita, victor

    Russian

  • Nobile

    Noble

    Italian

  • Novikov

    Son of the newcomer

    Russian

O

  • Occhipinti

    Painted eyes

    Italian

  • Oliveri

    Olive growers

    Italian

  • D'Onofrio

    Son of Onofrio

    Italian

  • Orlando

    Famous land

    Italian

  • Orlov

    Son of the eagle

    Russian

  • Orsini

    Little bears

    Italian

  • Orso

    Bear

    Italian

P

  • Pace

    Peace

    Italian

  • Pagano

    Pagan or villager

    Italian

  • Pagliaro

    Straw dealer

    Italian

  • Palazzolo

    Little palace; also a Sicilian town

    Italian

  • Palermo

    From Palermo, Sicily

    Italian

  • Palmieri

    Pilgrim who carried a palm

    Italian

  • Palumbo

    Dove, southern Italian

    Italian

  • Parisi

    From Paris

    Italian

  • Parrino

    Priest, Sicilian parrinu

    Italian

  • Paterno

    Paternal, or from Paternò, Sicily

    Italian

  • Patti

    From Patti, Sicily

    Italian

  • Pavlov

    Son of Pavel, small

    Russian

  • Pecoraro

    Shepherd

    Italian

  • Pellegrini

    Pilgrims

    Italian

  • Pellegrino

    Pilgrim

    Italian

  • Perrone

    Big Pietro

    Italian

  • Petrov

    Son of Pyotr

    Russian

  • Piazza

    Town square

    Italian

  • Di Pietro

    Son of Pietro, rock

    Italian

  • Pisano

    From Pisa

    Italian

  • Popov

    Son of the priest

    Russian

  • Principe

    Prince

    Italian

  • Pugliese

    From Apulia

    Italian

Q

  • Quattrocchi

    Four eyes

    Italian

R

  • Raimondi

    Wise protector

    Italian

  • Randazzo

    From Randazzo, Sicily

    Italian

  • Rao

    From Raoul, common in Calabria

    Italian

  • Ricci

    Curly-haired

    Italian

  • Riccobono

    Rich and good

    Italian

  • Rinaldi

    Of Rinaldo, counsel ruler

    Italian

  • Riva

    Riverbank or shore

    Italian

  • Rizzo

    Curly-haired

    Italian

  • Rocca

    Fortress

    Italian

  • La Rocca

    The fortress

    Italian

  • Di Rocco

    Son of Rocco

    Italian

  • Romano

    Roman, or pilgrim to Rome

    Italian

  • Romeo

    Pilgrim to Rome

    Italian

  • De Rosa

    Of the rose

    Italian

  • La Rosa

    The rose

    Italian

  • Rossetti

    Little red one

    Italian

  • Rossi

    Red-haired

    Italian

  • Ruggeri

    Famous spear

    Italian

  • Ruggiero

    Famous spear

    Italian

  • Russo

    Red-haired, southern Italian form

    Italian

S

  • Sala

    Hall, or manor house

    Italian

  • Salerno

    From Salerno

    Italian

  • Di Salvo

    Son of Salvo, saved

    Italian

  • Santangelo

    Holy angel, Saint Michael

    Italian

  • Santini

    Little saint

    Italian

  • De Santis

    Of the saints

    Italian

  • Santoro

    All Saints, for a child born on that day

    Italian

  • Sapienza

    Wisdom

    Italian

  • Sartori

    Tailors

    Italian

  • Scarpa

    Shoe, a shoemaker

    Italian

  • Scarpelli

    Little chisel, a stonecutter

    Italian

  • Sciacca

    From Sciacca, Sicily

    Italian

  • Serra

    Mountain ridge

    Italian

  • Shevchenko

    Son of the shoemaker

    Ukrainian

  • Siciliano

    From Sicily

    Italian

  • Sidorov

    Son of Sidor, gift of Isis

    Russian

  • Silvestri

    Of the woods

    Italian

  • Siracusa

    From Syracuse, Sicily

    Italian

  • Smirnov

    Son of the quiet one

    Russian

  • Sokolov

    Son of the falcon

    Russian

  • Sorokin

    From soroka, magpie

    Russian

  • Sorrentino

    From Sorrento

    Italian

  • Spataro

    Sword maker

    Italian

  • Spina

    Thorn

    Italian

  • Spinelli

    Little thorn

    Italian

  • Di Stefano

    Son of Stefano, crowned

    Italian

  • Stepanov

    Son of Stepan, crown

    Russian

T

  • Tagliaferro

    Iron cutter

    Italian

  • Taormina

    From Taormina, Sicily

    Italian

  • Tarasov

    Son of Taras

    Russian

  • Tedesco

    German

    Italian

  • Termini

    From Termini Imerese, Sicily

    Italian

  • Terranova

    New land

    Italian

  • Testa

    Head, a stubborn person

    Italian

  • Tomasello

    Little Tommaso

    Italian

  • Tortorici

    From Tortorici, Sicily

    Italian

  • Trapani

    From Trapani, Sicily

    Italian

  • Trovato

    Found, a foundling

    Italian

U

  • Urso

    Bear, southern Italian

    Italian

V

  • Vaccaro

    Cowherd

    Italian

  • Valenti

    Valiant

    Italian

  • Valentini

    Of Valentino, strong and healthy

    Italian

  • Vasiliev

    Son of Vasily, royal

    Russian

  • Del Vecchio

    Son of the old man

    Italian

  • Veneziano

    From Venice

    Italian

  • Ventura

    Good fortune

    Italian

  • Villa

    Country house or village

    Italian

  • Vitale

    Full of life

    Italian

  • Vitiello

    Little calf

    Italian

  • Vizzini

    From Vizzini, Sicily

    Italian

  • Vlasov

    Son of Vlas

    Russian

  • Volkov

    Son of the wolf

    Russian

  • Volpe

    Fox, a cunning person

    Italian

  • Vorobyov

    Son of the sparrow

    Russian

  • Voronin

    From voron, raven

    Russian

Y

  • Yakovlev

    Son of Yakov

    Russian

Z

  • Zagarella

    Ribbon

    Italian

  • Zaitsev

    Son of the hare

    Russian

  • Zanetti

    Little Gianni

    Italian

  • Zappa

    Hoe, a farmer

    Italian

  • Zhukov

    Son of the beetle

    Russian

  • Zito

    Young man or bridegroom

    Italian

Generate random mafia surnames

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Results (6)

  • Veneziano

    From Venice

    Italian

  • Volpe

    Fox, a cunning person

    Italian

  • Greco

    Greek

    Italian

  • Parrino

    Priest, Sicilian parrinu

    Italian

  • Paterno

    Paternal, or from Paternò, Sicily

    Italian

  • Arena

    Sand, sandy place

    Italian

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    Italian mafia last names in crime fiction

    Crime fiction borrows surnames from the same pool as everyone else. Many come from Sicily and southern Italy, and their meanings are ordinary: Russo means red haired, Greco means Greek, Rizzo means curly haired, Amato means beloved and Caruso is a Sicilian word for a young boy with cropped hair. Esposito, common around Naples, was once given to foundlings and means exposed. Place names like Messina, Ferrara and Lombardi tell you where a family came from.

    It is worth saying plainly that these are the names of millions of law abiding families in Italy and across the world. Crime writers use them because they are common and believable, not because they have anything to do with crime. When you choose a name for a fictional crime family, search it first, so that your invented family does not accidentally share a name with a real case or a real person who might object.

    Russian mafia last names and their meanings

    Russian surnames usually end in ov, ev or in, which roughly means belonging to. Many come from animals or trades. Volkov comes from volk, wolf, Sokolov from sokol, falcon, and Orlov from oryol, eagle. Morozov comes from moroz, frost, and Kuznetsov from kuznets, smith. Belov means white and Petrov comes from the given name Pyotr. These are among the most ordinary names in Russia, which is exactly why they sound credible on the page.

    Russian names change with gender, so a woman in the Volkov family is Volkova and a woman in the Belov family is Belova. Formal address also uses a patronymic, a middle name built from the father's first name, so Ivan Petrovich Volkov is Ivan, son of Pyotr. A character who switches from calling someone by name and patronymic to a nickname is signalling something, and that is a useful tool for a writer.

    Mafia last names ideas for building a crime family

    Start with a family tree rather than a single name. The founding surname is the one everyone knows, but sons in law, cousins and trusted associates bring different surnames with their own regional roots. A family rooted in Palermo would feel different from one that has lived in New York for four generations, whose names may have been anglicised on arrival. The origin column helps you keep those details consistent.

    Then think about rhythm and contrast. Two families with names that sound alike, such as Russo and Rizzo, will confuse readers in a tense scene, so give rival families different first letters and lengths. Nicknames are also a strong part of the genre, and they let you give a character a memorable handle without inventing an outlandish surname. When you need random picks, the Italian American generator linked on this page draws on a much wider pool.

    Frequently asked questions

    What are some mafia last names ideas for a novel?

    For an Italian or Sicilian family, try Russo, Greco, Amato, Caruso, Messina, Rizzo or Lombardi. For a Russian family, Volkov, Sokolov, Orlov and Morozov all have vivid meanings. These are ordinary surnames, so search your final choice to avoid echoing a real case.

    Are these names connected to real crime families?

    No. They are common Italian, Sicilian, Italian American and Russian surnames shared by millions of ordinary people. The page is a resource for fiction writers, and it does not link any surname to real criminals or real organisations.

    Why do some Sicilian names start with La, Lo or Li?

    Sicilian surnames often keep an article in front of the name, as in La Rosa, Lo Presti or Li Causi. The article usually came from a nickname or a description, such as la rosa, the rose, which later became fixed as a family name.

    How does a Russian family name change for a woman?

    Most Russian surnames add a to the end for women, so Volkov becomes Volkova and Sokolov becomes Sokolova. Names ending in sky change to skaya. Getting this right is one of the easiest ways to make Russian characters feel authentic.

    More last name lists