Napoli History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

From the ancient and beautiful Italian island of Sicily emerged a variety of distinguished names, including the notable surname Napoli. 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. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Sicily 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, and does not necessarily denote nobility. The Napoli family lived in the city of Naples.

Early Origins of the Napoli family

The surname Napoli was first found in the province of Salerno, just south of Naples. The Napoli family in this region had the noble status continued from hundreds of years earlier.

Early History of the Napoli family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Napoli research. The years 1881, 1906, 1911 and 1972 are included under the topic Early Napoli History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Napoli 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 Napoli include Napoletano, Napoli, Napolitano and others.

Early Notables of the Napoli family

Prominent among bearers of this surname in early times was

Enrico Caracciolo di Napoli was made governor of the city of Troina by the King Frederick II of Aragona...
The family stayed in Sicily for centuries, predominantly settling in the city of Palermo, and the attachment di Napoli was passed along throughout the generations...
Later, Gennaro Napoli, born in 1881, won the National Music Award in Rome in 1906...

Napoli Ranking

In the United States, the name Napoli is the 7,949^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Napoli migration to the United States +

An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Napoli arrived in North America very early:

Napoli Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anna Napoli, aged 6, who immigrated to the United States from Pietradefusi, in 1893
Antonia Napoli, aged 1, who landed in America from Camporeale, in 1898
Anna Napoli, aged 25, who landed in America from Sciacca, in 1899
Antno. Napoli, aged 46, who immigrated to America from Serano, in 1899

Napoli Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Alberto Napoli, aged 40, who landed in America from Naples, in 1904
Alfonso Napoli, aged 13, who immigrated to the United States from Casenza, in 1904
Andrea Napoli, aged 26, who immigrated to America from Monte S. Giuliano, Italy, in 1904
Alfonso Napoli, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States from Leonforti, in 1905
Agottino Napoli, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States from Castialiono, Italy, in 1906
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Napoli (post 1700) +

Alexander J. Napoli (1905-1972), United States federal judge
Federico Carlos Gravina Nápoli (1756-1806), Spanish Admiral during the American Revolution
Donna Jo Napoli (b. 1948), American author of children's and young adult books
Michael Anthony Napoli (b. 1981), American Major League Baseball catcher /first baseman
Jacopo Napoli (1911-1994), Italian composer of the 20th century
Tommaso Maria Napoli (1659-1725), Italian architect, engineer and mathematician
Fernando de Napoli (b. 1964), Italian former professional footballer
Gennaro Di Napoli (b. 1968), Italian former middle distance runner
Arturo Di Napoli (b. 1974), Italian football player
Aiman Napoli (b. 1989), Italian footballer
... (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/