Show ContentsMontagna History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

From the ancient and picturesque Italian region of Venice emerged a variety of distinguished names, including the notable surname Montagna. 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 are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Venice is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, but does not necessarily denote nobility. The Montagna family lived on a mountain or near a mountainous area. The name Montagna is derived from the Italian word montagna or montano, which means a mountain. Sometimes the name was used for someone who came from Montagna.

Early Origins of the Montagna family

The surname Montagna was first found in numerous regions, although Venice is the city of origin for both Montagna and Montan branches. Montana was widespread in Sicily, Montano and Montani in Liguria, Montanelli in Tuscany, and Montanari in Emilia Romagna. The name and its variants all stem from people who lived in or near mountainous regions.

Early History of the Montagna family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Montagna research. The years 1406, 1440, 1450, 1523, 1608, 1633 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Montagna History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Montagna Spelling Variations

Italian surnames come in far more variations than the names of most other nationalities. Regional traditions and dialects are a decisive factor in this characteristic. For example, northern names tend to end in "o", while southern in "i". Also important, but not unique to Italy, was the fact that before dictionaries and the printing press most scribes simply spelled words according to their sounds. The predictable result was an enormous number of spelling variations. The recorded spellings of Montagna include Montagnano, Montagnini, Montagnoni, Montan, Montanari, Montanarini, Montanaro, Montanelli, Montani, Montano, Montana, Montagnino and many more.

Early Notables of the Montagna family

Prominent among members of the family was

  • Bartolomeo Montagna (1450-1523), an Italian painter and architect who worked in Vicenza and Venice, and founder of the school of Vicenza, with works able to be seen today in the Metropolitan Museum in...
  • Giovanni Montagna of Verona, a captain against Bernabo Visconti and the first Montagna to enter the noble council in 1406, with descendents further maintaining the position until 1608
  • Bartholomeo Montagnana, a prominent doctor in 1440
  • Giacomo Montagnana and Marcantonio Montagnana, also doctors and the latter a teacher of surgery

Montagna Ranking

In the United States, the name Montagna is the 16,812nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Montagna migration to the United States +

Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Montagna or a variant listed above:

Montagna Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Angelo Montagna, aged 37, who arrived in America from Redasalla, Italy, in 1893
Montagna Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Angela Montagna, aged 50, who arrived in America from Bernalda, Italy, in 1907
  • Agusta Montagna, aged 53, who arrived in America from Rour, Italy, in 1909
  • Antonino Montagna, aged 17, who arrived in America from Naro, Sicily, in 1912
  • Antonio Montagna, aged 29, who arrived in America from Lubriano, Italy, in 1920
  • Bartolomeo Montagna, aged 17, who arrived in America from Rocca Pia, Italy, in 1920
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Montagna (post 1700) +

  • Paolo Montagna (b. 1976), Sammarinese footballer
  • Leigh Montagna (b. 1983), Australian rules footballer


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


Houseofnames.com on Facebook