Napoleon Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Napoleon last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Napoleon last name
Meaning of the Napoleon last name: someone who came from Neapolis (new city) in Italy. For the Italian last name Napoleon, Smith's 1956 dictionary offers this meaning: someone who came from Neapolis (new city) in Italy, or a descendant of Napoleon (lion of forest). In the United States, Mexico and France the Napoleon surname is still in use today.
Arms associated with the Napoleon name
Sharing a surname establishes no coat of arms entitlement; heraldry follows documented individual lineages.
Get your full Napoleon family history
This is only a glimpse of the Napoleon story. The full Napoleon 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 Napoleon coat of arms. Get the full Napoleon report.
Napoleon name FAQ
What does the Napoleon name mean?
Someone who came from Neapolis (new city) in Italy. Common variants include Napoleone.
Where does the Napoleon surname come from?
It originates in Italy, and is also found in the United States and Mexico.
Is there a Napoleon coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Napoleon coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Elsdon C. Smith, Dictionary of American Family Names (1956), individual surname entries; modern indexed dictionary entries supersede conflicting interpretations.; Forebears, Surnam.es and individual surname distribution references.