Last Name question ...... rispondi se parli Italiano o sei Italiano d'origine.....?

Question

Ciao a tutti!!!

I am curious if anyone knows the origins of this last name " Conandeas ". I have a friend who lives in Italy (Naples) with this last name. I have always been curious about name origins, languages etc. I don't want to ask him because I feel like it would be akward. All seaches always come up with Konandreas not Conandreas.

I have been learning Italian and have found that most last names end in a Vowel. It seems that "Conandreas" is more Spanish than Italian, maybe someone in his family was from a Spanish speaking Country?

Just curious.

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Grazie !!!

Thanks for your anwers so far. Knowing that Naples was under Spanish rule for so many years I suspected a Spanish influence in his last name. Although his last name may (or may not ) be Italian his first name " Luca " is VERY Italian and being able to speak Italian and Neapolitan he is as Napulitane as they come.

Martox, if it is from Sardegna.... could it be Catalan?

And yes I am sure about his spelling =P... I have been to his house and in his buidling one can see all the names of the families that live at each apartment. Not only that but his last name is on his myspace page.

Answer 1

This kind of thing is very common where people migrated long ago, and consequently there were descendents bearing a family name from another country - Ireland has many incidences of these. Names like Harrington, Bradshaw, Swanton, etc. are originally English but are still part of the Irish social landscape. Bearers of these names who were born and live in Ireland consider themselves Irish.

Your friend probably considers himself Italian, and for him, his last name is probably just that, a last name.

Answer 2

I've searched it on Italian sites but this family's name is not listed anywhere. Are you sure about its spelling ? However here in Italy there are a lot of surnames ending by a consonant ('n' and 's' being the most popular),mostly of them originating from the Northern Italy or Sardinia's island.
In Naples there many families wich names are clearly of Spanish origin since in the past (from 1500 to 1700) Naples was under the Spain's domination. I'm more supporting this Spanish origin rather than the other possible option that it could be originating from Sardinian where really a lot of surnames are ending by "s".
In any case I feel you could ask him the answer (provided he knows it ....!!). He should find your curiosity absolutely normal.

Edit ...and yes Luca is absolutely an Italian name-
Edit #2 It could be also Catalan since in the westside of Sardegna their dialect is almost the same as the Catalan in Barcelona. It's then possible that yr friend's anchestors,if not Spanish, were originated from that part of the island.

Answer 3

I don't think Conandreas is a Spanish or Catalan last name. At least, I have searched in some web pages about Spanish and Catalan last names and it wasn't on the list. I am Spanish but I have never heard that last name.

I think you should ask him about his origins. It's the only way.

Answer 4

I have heard of names close to Conandreas, just not that specific name. It sounds like a spanish name to me because it doesn't sound like it would be Italian. I could be wrong, but I think you're right.

Answer 5

Definitely not Italian- i think ur right with spanish. maybe even greek????