Show ContentsPietri History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The distinguished surname Pietri can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Venice. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adopt 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 were characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. The most common type of family name found in the region of Venice 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 Pietri came from the personal name Pietro, or Peter, which is itself derived from the Greek word petrus meaning rock.

Early Origins of the Pietri family

The surname Pietri was first found in the city of Pavia, where records are found in 1040 with Manfredi and Arizzone Pietra, feudal Lords of the territories of Pietra, Bissone, and Costa.

Early History of the Pietri family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pietri research. The years 1313, 1330, 1350, 1401, 1402, 1412, 1445, 1451, 1452, 1466, 1480, 1492, 1594, 1648, 1651, 1714, 1813, 1854, 1858, 1869 and 1877 are included under the topic Early Pietri History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pietri 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 Pietri include Pietri, Petri, Petris, Pedri, Pieri, Pero, Pierri, Pierro, Perris, Peire, Peiro, Peyro, De Pietri, De Pietro, Di Pietro, Di Pietro, De Petris, De Pero, Depero, Di Pierro, Petrich, Petric, Petrovich, Petrovic, Perich and many more.

Early Notables of the Pietri family

Prominent among bearers of this family in early times was Cecco di Pietro, (c. 1330-1402), Italian painter of the Pisan School, date of birth cannot be confirmed, some mention of working with the painter Paolo di Lazzarino in 1350; Francesco Petrarca, or Petrarch, considered to be one of the four great Italian poets, Born in Florence in the 14th century, one of his most famous poems is entitled "Il Canzoniere"; Other bearers of this name from this era include: Riccardo Petroni, a Cardinal in Siena in 1313; Cola Petruccioli, a painter in Perugia in 1401 whose works can be seen at...
Another 151 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pietri Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pietri Ranking

In France, the name Pietri is the 2,753rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 1


United States Pietri migration to the United States +

Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Pietri were

Pietri Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Agustin Pietri, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1841 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Pietri (post 1700) +

  • Frank Pietri (1934-2020), American Jazz Instructor, choreographer and performer
  • Eugenio de Bellard Pietri (1927-2000), American speleologist
  • Giuseppe Pietri (1886-1946), Italian composer
  • Dorando Pietri (1885-1942), Italian athlete long-distance runner who finished first in the marathon at the 1908 Summer Olympics but was later disqualified
  • Robertino Pietri (b. 1985), Grand Prix motorcycle racer from Venezuela
  • Rick Pietri, American head women's basketball coach at the University of South Alabama
  • Rafael Pietri Oms, University of Puerto Rico chancellor
  • Pedro Pietri, Nuyorican poet and playwright
  • Julie Pietri (b. 1955), French pop singer
  • Joseph Marie Piétri (1820-1902), French lawyer, public servant, police chief of Paris and senator
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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