Surname Lupo - Meaning and Origin
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Lupo: What does the surname Lupo mean?
The last name Lupo originates from Italy and it means "wolf" in Italian. The surname is derived from the Latin word "lupus", also meaning wolf. Lupo as a surname was likely used to signify characteristics associated with a wolf, such as cunning or fierceness. It might have also been a nickname for someone who resembled a wolf in some way, or for someone who had a special connection or encounter with a wolf. Additionally, there are several towns in Italy named Lupo, so the surname could have been a geographic marker, indicating where a person or family was from. It's important to note, however, that the meanings and origins of surnames can vary widely even within the same country or language.
Order DNA origin analysisLupo: Where does the name Lupo come from?
The surname Lupo is of Italian origin, derived from the Italian word "lupo" which means "wolf". It was probably a nickname for someone with wolf-like characteristics or a totemic name related to a tribe or family that associated themselves with the wolf. It might also be occupational for someone who worked as a hunter of wolves. Lupo is common throughout Italy, especially in Southern Italy, specifically in the Sicily region. It is also found among Italian-Jewish populations.
Today, apart from Italy, the surname Lupo is also common in the United States despite a relatively small Italian-American population. This is due to substantial waves of Italian immigration to the United States in the late 19th and 20th centuries. Other countries with a noticeable presence of the surname Lupo include Argentina, Brazil, Canada, and Australia, again due to Italian diaspora. Therefore, the surname is most common in countries with significant Italian immigrant communities.
Variations of the surname Lupo
The surname Lupo, of Italian origin, has several variations and similar surnames that can be traced back to the same roots. Its primary meaning is "wolf" in Italian.
Variant spellings could include Lupe, Lupi, Lupu, Lupa, and Lupis. It is common in Italian surnames for the singular and plural forms to be used interchangeably, thus "Lupi," which means "wolves," may also be used. The feminine ending "a" in "Lupa" would historically denote that the surname belonged to a woman.
Variations can also come in the form of patronymics, or names derived from the father or an ancestor. For instance, "Di Lupo" or "De Lupo" would mean "son of Lupo."
It can also be combined with other words to form compound last names such as “Lupofranco" and "Lupogiovanni".
Similarly, this name is also found in the Spanish language, spelled as "Lobo," and in French as "Loup."
Surnames of the same origin, pertaining to the wolf, can be found easily in many European languages: in English "Wolf/Wolfe," in German "Wolf/Wolff," in Dutch "De Wolf," and in Scandinavia "Ulv". Even though they all mean "wolf", genealogically they may not be related to the Italian Lupo family.
Famous people with the name Lupo
- Joe Lupo, former New Jersey state Senator
- Steve-O Lupo, TV personality
- Maria Lupo, Toronto-based pop-rock singer
- Francis X. Lupo, American film & television producer
- Carl Lupo, former member of the American country/rock band Ozark Mountain Daredevils
- Antonietta Lupo, Italian 1980s pop star
- Carmen Lupo, Peruvian judoka and Pan American champion
- Piersilvio Berlusconi, Italian entrepreneur and son of media mogul Silvio Berlusconi, married to Mara Carfagna, born Lupo
- Tony Lupo, American actor and director
- Valentina Leverone Lupo, Italian basketball player