Show ContentsPerrotta History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Perrotta

What does the name Perrotta mean?

The distinguished surname Perrotta can be traced back to the ancient and beautiful region of Piedmont. 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 Piedmont 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 Perrotta came from the personal name Pietro, or Peter, which is itself derived from the Greek word petrus meaning rock.

Early Origins of the Perrotta family

The surname Perrotta was first found in Piedmont (Italian: Piemonte, Piedmontese and Occitan: Piemont), where Giuseppe Peracchio, was listed as a brave soldier during the 11th century.

Early History of the Perrotta family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Perrotta research. The years 1408, 1521, 1536, 1571, 1585, 1590, 1623, 1662, 1753, 1792, 1817 and 1900 are included under the topic Early Perrotta History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Perrotta Spelling Variations

Enormous variation in spelling and form characterizes those Italian names that originated in the medieval era. This is caused by two main factors: regional tradition, and inaccuracies in the recording process. Before the last few hundred years, scribes spelled names according to their sounds. Spelling variations were the unsurprising result. The variations of Perrotta include Perri, Peri, Perrico, Perotti, Perotta, Perracco, Perracho, Perrachino, Perrachini, Peracchio, Perrachio, Perotti, Perricone, Peracca, Perachis, Peracini, Peraga, Perazzo, Peralta, Peralto, Perolto, Peretti, Peretto, Perini, Perino and many more.

Early Notables of the Perrotta family

Prominent among members of the family was Niccol Perolto, a 15th century humanist from Fano who specialized in Latin and Greek translation. Antonio and Pietro Peracchio received the castle of Pieve di Livone in 1536; from this same family, Antonio and Michele Peracchio were officially recognized as noblemen and were given the castle of Pia in 1408. The Peralta family in Sicily possessed over 8 feudal territories, and 11 other lands. Guglielmo Peralta was President of Sicily as well as Grand Chancellor and Treasurer. Also prominent was a Peretti of Montalto, who in 1585 was elected Pope with the new name...
Another 149 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Perrotta Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Perrotta Ranking

In the United States, the name Perrotta is the 8,801st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


Perrotta migration to the United States +

Immigrants bearing the name Perrotta or a variant listed above include:

Perrotta Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Alfonso Perrotta, aged 53, who immigrated to America from Paolise, in 1901
  • Amalia Perrotta, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States from Caletri, Italy, in 1907
  • Angela Perrotta, aged 15, who settled in America from Arienzo, Italy, in 1907
  • Angela Perrotta, aged 12, who landed in America from Cosenza, Cosenza, Italy, in 1907
  • Angela Perrotta, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States from Roccamonfina, Italy, in 1907
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Perrotta (post 1700) +

  • Thomas R. "Tom" Perrotta (b. 1961), American Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominated novelist and screenwriter, known for Little Children (2006), Election (1999) and The Leftovers (2014)
  • Sarah Perrotta (b. 1979), American singer-songwriter and pianist
  • Fioravante "Fred" G. Perrotta (1931-2012), American lawyer, political aide, and political candidate
  • Simone Perrotta (b. 1977), Italian footballer
  • Maria Perrotta (b. 1974), Italian classical pianist
  • Marco Perrotta (b. 1994), Italian footballer
  • Lucilla Perrotta (b. 1975), Italian gold, silver and four-time bronze medalist beach volleyball player
  • Cosimo Perrotta (b. 1942), Italian professor of economic history at the University of Lecce


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


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