Martinelli
An Italian surname meaning “little Martin” or “sons/descendants of Martin,” built from the common given name Martin.
The #6,640 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 60,550 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Martinelli is an Italian surname formed from Martin, ultimately from the Latin personal name Martinus, itself linked to Mars, the Roman god of war. The ending -elli is an Italian diminutive or family-forming suffix, so the name can mean “little Martin” or, more loosely, “the Martin family.” In practice, it functions as a patronymic surname based on an ancestor named Martin.
History
The name is especially associated with Italy and appears in many regional records there before spreading through Italian migration. By the 19th century it was being noted in English-language surname books as one of several foreign forms of Martin that were becoming naturalized in English-speaking countries. In modern use it remains strongly identified with Italian heritage.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Martinelli is one of several Italian surname forms built from the very widespread given name Martin, alongside Martinello and Martinucci.
From the historical record
“Its derivatives are Martins and Martinson. Martineau is well naturalized here, and Martinelli, Martinez, Martini, and other foreign forms are becoming so. The name of the Saint was perhaps derived from the Latin maHhis, waiiike. MARTINDALE. A chapelry of Barton,”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Martinelli
- Gabriel Martinelli (b. 2001)
- Ricardo Martinelli (b. 1952)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.