Rizzo Surname: Origin and Coat of Arms
What does Rizzo mean, and where does it come from? Here is a brief introduction.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Rizzo coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Rizzo name
Rizzo is a southern Italian form of Ricci, from riccio, "curly", a nickname for someone with curly hair. It is especially common in Sicily, Calabria and Campania. Related northern forms include Ricci and Rizzi, and the name travelled widely with Italian emigrants.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Rizzo name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Rizzo name in Italy. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Argentina and Brazil; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Rizzo family history
Order the full Rizzo history to read the records behind the name, with a Rizzo coat of arms painted for your family.
Rizzo name FAQ
What does the Rizzo name mean?
Curly-haired. Common variants include Ricci, Rizzi, Lo Rizzo.
Where does the Rizzo surname come from?
It originates in Italy, and is also found in the United States, Argentina and Brazil.
Is there a Rizzo coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Rizzo crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Rizzo coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: De Felice, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani; Caffarelli & Marcato, I cognomi d'Italia.