Leo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

The distinguished surname Leo 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 Leo came from the given name Leoni which comes from the Latin Leo or Leonios, which means lion-like.

Early Origins of the Leo family

The surname Leo was first found in 1130, when Giovanni-Antonio Leoncilli owned much land around Spoleto.

Early History of the Leo family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leo research. The years 1425, 1457, 1509, 1537, 1540, 1588, 1596 and 1675 are included under the topic Early Leo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leo 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 Leo include Leoni, Leone, Leon, Lioni, Lione, Lion, Liuni, Leo, Lio, De Leone, De Leonibus, De Leo, Di Leo, Leonelli, Leonello, Leoncilli, Lionelli, Lionello, Leonetti, Lionetti, Leoncini, Leoncino, Leonotti and many more.

Early Notables of the Leo family

Prominent among members of the family was

• Bussadi Leoni, a noblewoman in Rome during the 15th century who married at age 12 and was known for her piety and charity...
• Domenico Leonessa of Naples became the Archbishop of Rossano in 1457...
• Leone Leoni was a medalist and sculptor born in Como in 1509...
• He worked mainly in Spain, and collected Leonardo da Vinci's papers, drawings, and notes, which today lie in the Ambrosiana in Milan...
• Andrea di Leone (1596-1675), was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active in his native city of Naples...
• Leone Leoni was a 16th century composer of madrigals and motets and was maestro di cappella of the Duomo of Vicenza from 1588...
• Giovanni Antonio Leoni was a 17th century Roman violinist and composed 31 violin sonatas...
• Guglielmo Leone, Count of Zumaglia, was the first President of the Piedmontese Senate in the 18th century...

Leo Ranking

In the United States, the name Leo is the 6,217^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Leo is ranked the 5,814^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2

Leo migration to the United States +

Leo migration to Australia +

Leo migration to New Zealand +

Contemporary Notables of the name Leo (post 1700) +

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