Spinelli Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Spinelli last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Spinelli last name
Meaning of the Spinelli last name: little thorn. Spinelli means little thorn, from the Italian spina. It may have begun as a nickname for a sharp or prickly person, or for someone living near thorn bushes. It is found across Italy, especially the south. A curious detail: a powerful Spinelli family of bankers and merchants once flourished in Renaissance Florence.
Arms associated with the Spinelli name
In Italian heraldry, families from the same town often chose shields that echoed their city's colours, a habit the Spinelli name belongs to.
Get your full Spinelli family history
This is only a glimpse of the Spinelli story. The full Spinelli history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Spinelli coat of arms. Get the full Spinelli report.
Spinelli name FAQ
What does the Spinelli name mean?
Little thorn. Common variants include Spina, Spinello, Spinola.
Where does the Spinelli surname come from?
It originates in Italy, and is also found in the United States, Argentina and Brazil.
Is there a Spinelli coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Spinelli coat of arms in museum style, 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.