Does "di" in a surname mean "of" a certa

[diPrenda]

Does the "di" in a surname mean "of" a certain town or village? If so, then was there a place named "Prenda" not too far from present day town of Aquillonia in "ancient" (not sure when the name was created so I am not sure how ancient).

[JohnArmellino]

The prefix "di" (as well as "de", "del", "della", and especially "da") may denote a geographical root of a surname. However, it most often denotes a patronymic root (e.g., di Pasquale, di Rito, di Biase, di Nonno, etc.). Sometimes it denotes a desciptive root (di Niro, di Bianco, del Grosso, di Buono, etc.). Of course, the most famous surname based on a place is "da Vinci".

[Hard]

Of course, the most famous surname based on a place is "da Vinci".

"Da Vinci" wasn't Leonardo's real surname. He was called like that because he was from Vinci, but it wasn't a surname.
At that time there was no surnames and people were called by father's name, places, 'nicknames' etc.
Like "Verrocchio", because he studied in Verrocchi's studio.

[JohnArmellino]

"Da Vinci" wasn't Leonardo's real surname. He was called like that because he was from Vinci, but it wasn't a surname. At that time there was no surnames and people were called by father's name, places, 'nicknames' etc. Like "Verrocchio", because he studied in Verrocchi's studio.

Exactly! Leonardo had no surname in the modern sense of the word. No one did. But modern surnames evolved from this sort of patronymic, geographic, or descriptive reference.

[PeterTimber]

Multi name traditions were retained from the Milllenia from the Ancient Latin tradition by Royalty and High Nobility and gradually came into informal use gradually by titled persons followed by wealthy bourgeois, and down the line over several hundreds of years. It was only until The Council of Trent in 1564 mandated the registration of surnames in Parish churches.

In my own researches I found that my family surname surfaced in 1130 with DE and that designation was gone by shortly before the 1400's. =Peter=

[johnnyonthespot]

In my own researches I found that my family surname surfaced in 1130 with DE and that designation was gone by shortly before the 1400's. =Peter=

De Timber?

Let me see if I can find that in the Italian telephone directory.

[PeterTimber]

Hardly since Timber is my nom de plume! =Peter=