The Pellegrini Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of Pellegrini, its origins in Italy, and the story behind a Pellegrini family crest.
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Origin of the Pellegrini name
Pellegrini is the plural of Pellegrino, from Latin peregrinus, "pilgrim, foreigner". It began as a name for someone who had made a pilgrimage, or a nickname for a traveller. The surname is common in central and northern Italy, especially Tuscany, Emilia and Lombardy.
Pilgrims, Tuscany and Argentina
Pellegrini is the plural of pellegrino, "pilgrim", from Latin peregrinus, a stranger or traveller. It could name someone who had made a pilgrimage to Rome, Compostela or the Holy Land, a newcomer from elsewhere, or the descendants of a man called Pellegrino, which was also a given name.
Forebears estimates about 44,000 bearers in Italy, ranking the name around 59th there. Wikipedia's regional breakdown shows it densest in Tuscany, then Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria and Lazio. Emigration made Argentina its second home (6,800 people by Forebears' estimate), ahead of Brazil and the United States, where the 2010 Census counted 4,011. Carlos Pellegrini, president of Argentina in 1890–1892, came from one such emigrant family.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Pellegrini name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Pellegrini name in Italy. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Argentina and Brazil; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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The complete Pellegrini pack goes much further: researched origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
Pellegrini name FAQ
What does the Pellegrini name mean?
Pilgrims. Common variants include Pellegrino, Pellegrin, Peregrini.
Where does the Pellegrini surname come from?
It originates in Italy, and is also found in the United States, Argentina and Brazil.
Is there a Pellegrini coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Pellegrini crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Pellegrini coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
What does Pellegrini mean in English?
"Pilgrims". The singular, Pellegrino, is also used as a surname and a first name.
Where in Italy is Pellegrini most common?
Tuscany has the highest frequency, followed by Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria and Lazio.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: De Felice, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani; Caffarelli & Marcato, I cognomi d'Italia. Facts and figures: Forebears surname distribution (estimates); US Census Bureau, 2010 surname file; Wikipedia, "Pellegrini (surname)". Forebears figures are modelled estimates, rounded.