Tonelli Surname in Italy

Tonelli is a surname especially widespread in central and northern Italy and belongs to a broad group of family names derived from Antonio, often through apheresis and dialectal reshaping, sometimes with simple or compound diminutive forms. In some cases, the same base may also point to Anton, of Romanian or Slavic use. Historical evidence shows early use of the form Tonon, as in a 1617 record from Livigno, which confirms that these names were already in circulation in the early modern period. Tonelli should be distinguished from closely related variants such as Tonani, Tonarelli, Tonello, Tonetti, Tonini, Tonon, Tonolini and Toninelli, which have their own territorial concentrations and, although sharing the same ultimate root, developed in different areas. Family tradition for the Tonon branch also suggests a specific origin in Savoy and from the place name Thonon; this is a particular line of interpretation and does not define the overall origin of Tonelli and its variants.