Show ContentsBonifacio History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The distinguished surname Bonifacio can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Sicily, which is located off Southwestern Italy and incorporates the island of Sicily itself, the area of Naples, and the southern part of the Italian peninsula. 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 Sicily 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 Bonifacio was derived from the baptismal name which means the "good, faithful man." As the naming tradition grew in Europe baptismal names began to be introduced in many countries. Baptismal names were sometimes given in honor of Christian saints and other biblical figures. There are very few Christian countries in Europe that did not adopt surnames from these religious figures.

Early Origins of the Bonifacio family

The surname Bonifacio was first found in the city of Messina, where early records show Matteo Bonifacio was a lawyer, a judge and was Baron of Casale. His brother Nicolo Bonifacio was senator of Messina around 1450.

Early History of the Bonifacio family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bonifacio research. The years 1465, 1517, 1535 and 1547 are included under the topic Early Bonifacio History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bonifacio Spelling Variations

Italian surnames have a surprising number of forms in comparison with other European surnames because they reflect the regional variations and the many dialects of the Italian language, each of which has its distinctive features. For example, in Northern Italy the most standard Italian surname suffix is "I", whereas in Southern Italy the most typical surname suffix is "O". Sardinian is very different from other forms of Italian and in fact, it is considered to be its own distinct language. Additionally, spelling changes frequently occurred because medieval scribes, church officials, and the bearers of names, spelled names as they sounded rather than according to any specific spelling rules. As a consequence of the major changes in the Italian language and in the local spellings of Italian surnames that occurred over the course of history, there are numerous variations for the surname Bonifacio. These spelling variations include Bonifaci, Bonifacio, Bonifacci, Bonifazio, Bonifazi, Bonifazzi, Bonifati, Bonifacino, Bonfatti and many more.

Early Notables of the Bonifacio family

Prominent among bearers of this surname in early times was

  • Roberto Bonifacio, a castleowner and member of the nobility in Naples around 1465
  • Giovanni Bernardino Bonifacio was a nobleman and a very famous author in 1517
  • Natale Bonifacio was an artist who specialized in engravings around 1535
  • Natale's twin brother Francesco Bonifacio was a prominent surgeon in the same city
  • Dragonetto Bonifacio was a poet during this time
  • Giovanni Bonifacio was a lawyer and author in Rovigo around 1547
  • Scipione Bonifacio was a priest and author in Treviso during the 18th century


United States Bonifacio migration to the United States +

A search of the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Bonifacio:

Bonifacio Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Velaseo Bonifacio, who arrived in Peru in 1837 [1]
Bonifacio Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Angelo Bonifacio, aged 22, who settled in America from Montefalcone, in 1904
  • Carmela Bonifacio, aged 1, who settled in America from Canicatti, Italy, in 1907
  • Antonio Bonifacio, aged 35, who landed in America from Navelli, Italy, in 1908
  • Bartolomeo Bonifacio, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Castellammea, Napoli, in 1908
  • Antonina Bonifacio, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Montallegro, Sicily, in 1910
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Bonifacio migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bonifacio Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Federie Bonifacio, aged 26, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Terpsichore" in 1876

Contemporary Notables of the name Bonifacio (post 1700) +

  • Francesco Giovanni Bonifacio (1912-1946), Italian Catholic priest, killed by the Yugoslav communists, beatified in 2008
  • Charles Bonifacio, Canadian animator
  • Domingos Bonifacio (b. 1984), Angolan basketball point guard
  • Brandon Bonifacio (b. 1989), Canadian professional footballer
  • Emilio Jose Bonifacio Del Rosario (b. 1985), Dominican Major League Baseball player
  • Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro (1863-1897), Filipino nationalist and revolutionary
  • Gregorio Bonifacio Baró (b. 1928), Argentine chemist
  • José Bonifacio de Andrada e Silva (1763-1838), Brazilian statesman


  1. 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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