Manzoni Surname in Italy

The surname Manzoni is distinctly Lombard in origin, and its strongest historical concentration lies in Lombardy, even though the name is also found elsewhere in Italy. Its etymology is uncertain. It may derive, directly or through dialectal and diminutive forms, from a nickname connected with manzi, meaning young cattle or bullocks; alternatively, it may go back to the medieval personal name Manso, a form linked to Mansueto, or to the Provençal forms Mans and Manz. Another plausible explanation connects it to the medieval Latin mansum, referring to the status of a worker bound to the land.

Manzoni should be distinguished from related surnames built on the same base, such as Manzi, Manzini, Manzo, Manzelli, Manzello, Manzetti, Manzetto and Manzilli, which have their own geographic histories.