Federico
A Romance given name and surname from the old Germanic name meaning “peaceful ruler.”
The #5,810 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 51,881 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Federico comes from a medieval Germanic personal name, the same name family behind Frederick. The name is built from elements meaning “peace” and “ruler” or “power,” so the literal sense is usually given as “peaceful ruler.” In Romance languages it became Federico, Federigo, and Frederico, and later some of these forms were inherited as surnames.
History
As a surname, Federico usually began as a patronymic or inherited family name from a forebear named Federico/Frederico. The form is especially associated with Italian and Spanish-speaking areas, though it also appears in Portuguese and in broader European naming traditions through the spread of the personal name Frederick. In the United States it is relatively uncommon and is often found in families of Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese background.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same name family also gave English the familiar form Frederick, used by many European kings and nobles.
From the historical record
“Febo. El Sol. Federico. Moneda de oro de Dinamarca que vale 20 francos 30 céntimos, i de Prusia que vale 20 francos 80 céntimos. Felice. De feliz”
— Diccionario de los apellidos