Surname distribution and origin notes
Emma Surname in Italy
In Italy, Emma is considered a common surname. It is held by 700 people across 123 Italian towns. The top towns are San Cataldo (73), Enna (41), Naples (39). The strongest regional presence is in Sicilia, Lombardia, Piemonte. Related variants include EMME, EMMI.
Origin notes
Origin and meaning
The surname Emma is traditionally Sicilian, with historical roots in the provinces of Enna and Caltanissetta. The variant Emme is rare and mainly found in Sicily, including a minor presence near Catania. Emmi is specific to the Catania area, notably in Linguaglossa and Giarre, with significant occurrences also in Lentini (Syracuse area) and Messina. These variants likely originate from the medieval Norman personal name Emme. The given name Emma was already in use by the 13th century, as documented in records from the late 1200s. Linguistically, Emma derives from the Germanic personal name EMMA, which is an apocope of names beginning with Ermin-, like Ermingard. The root Ermin relates to a semi-divine figure associated with the Herminones tribe mentioned by Tacitus. The name Emma evolved from *Erma, losing the middle 'r'—a common pattern in Germanic hypocoristics.
Surname map
Distribution in Italy
Highest presence: San Cataldo
Emma Surname Distribution Map in Italy
This map shows the areas of Italy where the Emma surname is more or less present. Warmer colors indicate stronger presence, while cooler colors indicate lighter presence.
Italian towns with the highest presence
| Town | Province | Region | People |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Cataldo | Caltanissetta | Sicilia | 73people |
| Enna | Enna | Sicilia | 41people |
| Naples | Naples | Campania | 39people |
| Pietraperzia | Enna | Sicilia | 35people |
| Rome | Rome | Lazio | 34people |
| Turin | Turin | Piemonte | 23people |
| Scordia | Catania | Sicilia | 22people |
| Catania | Catania | Sicilia | 21people |
| Bernalda | Matera | Basilicata | 15people |
| Caltanissetta | Caltanissetta | Sicilia | 15people |
