Delfino History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

The distinguished surname Delfino originated in an area of Italy, known as the Papal States. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adapt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. The most traditional type of family name found in the region of the Papal States is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name. During the Middle Ages, Italians adopted the patronymic system of name-making because it perfectly complemented the prevailing Feudal System. In Italy the popularity of patronymic type of surname is also due to the fact that during the Christian era, people often named their children after saints and biblical figures. The surname Delfino came from the personal name Delfino, which is derived from the Latin name Delphinus or delphinus, which means dolphin.

Early Origins of the Delfino family

The surname Delfino was first found in 982 Calocino Delfina served in the Byzantine administration as Captain of the area of southern Italy.

Early History of the Delfino family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Delfino research. The years 1275, 1350, 1510, 1545, 1617 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Delfino History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Delfino Spelling Variations

In comparison with other European surnames, Italian surnames have a surprising number of forms. They reflect the regional variations and the many dialects of the Italian language, each with its own distinctive features. For example, in Northern Italy the typical Italian surname suffix is "i", whereas in Southern Italy it is "o". Additionally, spelling changes frequently occurred because medieval scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded rather than according to any specific spelling rules. The spelling variations in the name Delfino include Delfino, Delfini, Dalfino, Delfina, Dolfin, Dolfinone, Dalfini, Dolfino, Dolfini and many more.

Early Notables of the Delfino family

Prominent among members of the family was

Federico Delfino was a prominent mathematician in Padua about 150 years later
members of the Delfinone family of Milan were famous in the 16th century for their fancy embroidery

Delfino Ranking

In the United States, the name Delfino is the 15,865^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Delfino migration to the United States +

Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Delfino or a variant listed above:

Delfino Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Annunziata Delfino, aged 36, who landed in America from Villa S. Giovanni, in 1902
Antonino Delfino, aged 24, who landed in America from Reggio Calabria, Italy, in 1908
Angelo Delfino, aged 40, who settled in America from Genova, Varazze, Italy, in 1910
Andrea Delfino, aged 27, who landed in America from Bemezzo, Italy, in 1910
Angelo Delfino, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Ofena, Italy, in 1912
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Delfino (post 1700) +

Frank Delfino (1911-1989), American actor, known for his roles in The Lord of the Rings (1978), The Hunter (1980) and Little Cigars (1973)
Marieh Delfino (b. 1977), Venezuelan-born, American actress
Majandra Delfino (b. 1981), Alma Award-nominated Venezuelan-American actress and singer
Raffaele Delfino (1931-2024), Italian journalist and politician
Agostino Giuseppe Delfino O.F.M. Cap. (1935-2020), Italian-born Central African Republic Roman Catholic bishop
Carlos Francisco Delfino (b. 1982), Argentine-Italian professional NBA basketball player
Giuseppe Delfino (1921-1999), Italian four-time Olympic gold medalist fencer
Aílton Delfino (b. 1968), Brazilian retired footballer who played 225 matches from 1987 to 2003
Alejandro Alfredo Delfino (b. 1989), Argentine footballer
Germán Delfino (b. 1978), Argentine football referee
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/