Surname Ferrara - Meaning and Origin
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Ferrara: What does the surname Ferrara mean?
The last name Ferrara is of Italian origin and is thought to be derived from one of four different origins. It could have come from any of the nine towns of Ferrara located in Italy, France, and Spain, or from the term "bestiari" - meaning wild beast - commonly used in the Middle Ages to describe persons who were engaged in the care and handling of animals. Moreover, Ferrara is a generic surname, which originated as a nickname for someone who came from the city of Ferrara. It could also have been given to someone who lived in a place where firs, or a wood of ferns, grew.
The name Ferrara has strong cultural significance, and is said to be a sign of honor and respect. It is the name of a renowned Italian ducal family, the Estes of Ferrara, who are still respected in the city today. It is also a reminder of the prominent commercial role played by the family in the past.
Finally, Ferrara is a relatively popular surname throughout the world, and is most commonly found in Italy, the United States, France, Argentina, and Canada. People who carry the name Ferrara can be found in a variety of professions as varied as fashion, engineering, medicine, politics, and academics. Consequently, Ferrara is a proud and dignified name associated with a variety of cultures and professions.
Order DNA origin analysisFerrara: Where does the name Ferrara come from?
The last name Ferrara is most commonly found in regions of Southern Europe, particularly in Italy. It has roots in a city in the Emilia-Romagna region of the same name. Ferrara is thought to have derived from the Latin term ‘ferrarius’, meaning “blacksmith” or “metalworker”, so is most likely linked to this type of profession.
Ferrara is the twentieth most common last name in Italy and is particularly prevalent across the south, as well as in Sicily and Sardinia. It is also common amongst Italo-Americans in the United States, with over 16,500 people of Italian descent with this name according to the 2000 census. Smaller communities of the name can be found in Brazil and Argentina, which were former homelands for Italian immigrants in the late 19th century.
The last name Ferrara in other countries such as Spain, Portugal or elsewhere in Latin America is generally of Italian origin. In France, for example, there were over 700 people with this name in 2019, most likely as a result of Italian migration in the 1920s and ‘30s. It is also relatively uncommon in the United Kingdom, with less than 1,000 people registered as having this surname according to the ONS in 2018.
Despite its relatively infrequent usage in various countries, particularly outside of its place of origin in Italy, the surname Ferrara is an important indicator of Italian heritage and culture.
Variations of the surname Ferrara
The surname Ferrara is an Italian name derived from the Latin surname Ferrarius, which means blacksmith. It is also a place name referring to the Italian city of Ferrara. There are many variants and spellings of this surname that range from Ferrera, Ferrer, Ferri, Ferrara, Ferrari, Ferraresi, Ferreri, Ferretti and Ferrante.
Ferrara is a toponymic surname, meaning it is derived from a place name. It originated from the Ferrarese region of Northeastern Italy. The Ferrara surname likely came from the Italian word 'ferraio', meaning blacksmith. Those bearing the Ferrara surname could have been descended from a blacksmith who lived near the city of Ferrara. The Ferrari variant of the surname likely derived from the Latin personal name 'Ferrarius', meaning a worker with a Ferrari which was a type of iron implement.
Variants of the Ferrara surname were developed due to the changing of spellings over the years by individuals and transferring of documents. Ferrera, Ferrer, Ferri and Ferrari are the more popular spellings of the surname. Ferrante is both a Spanish and Italian variant of the surname. Ferresi, Ferreri, and Ferretti are Italianized forms of the surname.
Though the surname Ferrara is today most commonly associated with Italian descent, it has spread throughout Western Europe, North and South America, Australia, and even parts of Asia, largely due to migrations of people bearing the name.
Famous people with the name Ferrara
- Jackie Ferrara: Sculptor best known for her minimal geometric sculptures that were consisting of geometric and organic forms that were welded together or carved from handcut wood blocks.
- Adriano Ferrara: Italian director best known for his films Brutally Close, High School, and What They Call Love.
- Massimo Ferrara: Italian politician and Member of the European Parliament since 2014. He has been Vice-Chair of the Committee on International Trade and a member of the Subcommittee on Human Rights.
- Michael Ferrara: American actor, best known for his roles in soaps such as Beautiful People and The Young and the Restless.
- Joseph Ferrara: Producer and writer for television, best known for his work on the show Hi-Tech Life and the movie, Connected.
- Lorenzo Ferrara: Italian writer and screenwriter, best known for his book, A History of Venice: 800 Years of Italian Pride and his screenplay for the film, The Grand Hotel.
- Alfredo Ferrara: Italian architect and designer who studied under Renzo Piano and was awarded a fellowship from the Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in America.
- Giancarlo Ferrara: Italian physicist whose research was mainly dedicated to development and application of analytical methods for the assessment of safety and risk.
- David Ferrara: International tennis player who has represented Italy in the Davis Cup and World Team Tennis.
- Alessandro Ferrara: Professor Emeritus of philosophy and law at the University of Rome. He is the author of books such as Freedom, Law, and Empire and Liberal Citizenship and Human Rights.