Mele Surname in Italy

The surname Mele is usually traced back to the medieval personal name Mele, a form connected with Miele and used as an auspicious name for a much wanted, cherished child. In Sardinia the name also has a strong local linguistic foundation: in Logudorese mele and in Campidanese meli mean “honey”, from Latin mel, mellis; this root also underlies several traditional Sardinian words and nicknames. Medieval records already show the name in Pisa in the 12th century and in Sardinia in the 13th century, pointing to an early formation as a surname. In Sardinia, Mele is historically very widespread and appears in many medieval documents, while on the mainland it also developed from mela and Latin malum, so it should be distinguished from Meli, which has its own Sardinian tradition and may have different origins elsewhere. Related forms and derivatives include Meli, Melì, Melle, Melli, Mello, Mellon, Melon and Melí, each with its own regional spread and later development.