Surname Bartolomeo - Meaning and Origin
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Bartolomeo: What does the surname Bartolomeo mean?
The last name Bartolomeo is derived from two Latin words, Bartolomaeus and Barthalemew, which mean "son of Talmai," or "son of the furrows." The name is believed to have originated as a patronymic surname, which means it was derived from the first name of an ancestor, and is similar to names like Johnson, Anderson, and Thompson.
The name likely originated in Italy, given its Latin roots, and was popularized in the Middle Ages. In northern Italy, the surname often became Bartolemi, and in some instances later adopted the Spanish spelling of Bartolome.
Although no clear origins of the name can be found, some theories suggest that its Biblical roots are rooted in the story of Simon Bar-Tolmai, who was a follower of Jesus and one of the 70 apostles appointed by Jesus. Another possibility is that it may have been derived from Bartholomaeus, the Latin form of the Hebrew name Bartholomai, which is translated to "son of dropping," with the suggestion that the family may have had a life of farming and left "years of furrows" behind them.
No matter the origin, the name is now shared by many individuals throughout Italy, Spain, France, and beyond, and is associated with strength, hard work, ancestry, and faith.
Order DNA origin analysisBartolomeo: Where does the name Bartolomeo come from?
Today, Bartolomeo is most commonly found as a surname in Italy. With a history that stretches back centuries, it originated from the early Latin Bartholomaeus, a compound of bartholome meaning ‘son of Talmai’. It first became popular in the Middle Ages, particularly during the time of the Crusades. Even today, there are a number of prominent Italian families that still bear the name.
The Bartolomeo surname is most widespread in the parts of the country where its noble origins began – namely the Apennines, the Calabrians, the Campanians and the Sicilies. In particular, it is especially prevalent around the cities of Rome, Milan, Naples and Sicily. Many Italian immigrants to the United States, South America, Canada, and Australia also bear the name.
In modern Italian, the name is pronounced ‘bart-ah-LOH-may-oh’ and it can also be seen spelled with various other endings, such as ‘Bartolommeo’. It remains popular today and continues to be a part of Italian heritage, culture, and identity.
Variations of the surname Bartolomeo
Bartolomeo is an Italian surname originating from an old medieval given name. This name is derived from ‘bartholomaios’, a Greek personal name which means ‘son of the furrow’ or ‘son of the ploughman’.
The name ‘Bartolomeo’ has a few common variants, spellings and alternate surnames which are popular with Italian families. Variations of the name include Bart, Bartol, Bartilomeo, Bartolommeo, Bartolo, Bartolomea, and Bartolima. Spellings of the surname vary from ‘Bartelomeo’, ‘Bartilomeo’, ‘Bartolameo’, ‘Bindi Bartolomeo’ and ‘Brandolini Bartolomeo’. The surname ‘Bartolomei’ and the alternative Spanish surname ‘Bartolomé’ are also sometimes used.
The Bartolomeo surname is present in Italy and the Mediterranean region, being most common in the regions of Tuscany, Lombardy and Lazio. It is also found in small numbers in the Spanish-speaking world, notably in Mexico, Cuba and Argentina. In the United Kingdom, the name is largely confined to Italian immigrant families who settled in the south side of London.
In some parts of the U.S., the Bartolomeo name has become a bit more Americanized over time, with some variants of the name having taken on the spelling ‘Bartolomei’. This is the form most commonly found in the U.S. today.
Famous people with the name Bartolomeo
- Blessed Father Bartolomeo Giuseppe Zorzi: Italian scholar and historian, theologian, and statesman of the Catholic Church.
- Andrea Bartolomeo degli Ebrei: Italian philosopher and theologian.
- Bartolomeo Beretta: Italian inventor and businessman who founded the Beretta firearms manufacturing company.
- Bartolomeo Cristofori: Italian instrument maker who invented the modern piano.
- Bartolomeo Borghi: Italian painter of the Baroque period.
- Bartolomeo Cavaceppi: One of the most famous sculptors of the 18th century, known for his marble sculptures of gods in the classical style.
- Bartolomeo Passarotti: Italian painter of the late-Mannerist and early-Baroque periods.
- Bartolomeo Litomysl: Czech composer and one of the most important representatives of the early Baroque era of music.
- Bartolomeo Della Gatta: Italian illuminator, draftsman and printmaker of the late-Renaissance and early-Baroque periods.
- Bartolomeo Scappi: Italian chef and cookbook writer who wrote one of the oldest and most detailed works on Renaissance culinary culture.