Cipolla
/tʃiˈpɔl.la/noun
An Italian surname derived from the word for “onion,” likely originally referring to an onion grower, seller, or someone associated with onions.
Did you know?Cipolla is an Italian occupational or nickname surname, comparable to English surnames such as Baker or Smith, but rooted in the everyday medieval importance of onions as food and medicine.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
cepa
“Onion”
Late Latin
Latin
cepulla
“Little onion; a diminutive form of cepa”
Medieval Latin
Latin
cipolla
“Onion, with the vowel and consonant patterns that developed into Italian”
Old Italian
Italian
cipolla
“Onion”
Medieval Italy
Italian
Cipolla
“Nickname or occupational surname associated with an onion grower, seller, or onion-like characteristic”
Modern English usage
English
Cipolla
“An Italian surname, also encountered in English-language genealogical and historical contexts”
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