Coppo

Coppo is an Italian surname and, less commonly, a given name. It is most often encountered in Italian historical and genealogical contexts and has been carried by several individuals in various periods. The name is generally associated with regions in Italy where surnames derived from occupations or local terms were common, and it has persisted through emigration to other countries.

One of the best-known bearers of the name is Coppo di Marcovaldo, a Florentine painter active in the mid-13th century. He is recognized as one of the earliest named Italian painters and is associated with the Italo-Byzantine style that characterized religious art of the period. Coppo di Marcovaldo’s work reflects a transition between Byzantine influences and the emerging Gothic sensibilities of Italian art, and his career helped set a precedent for subsequent generations of Italian painters working in central and northern Italy.

Beyond Coppo di Marcovaldo, the surname appears in historical records in Italy, particularly in the Tuscany region, and has been carried by individuals across various fields. In modern times, Coppo remains a relatively uncommon surname outside Italian-speaking communities. The name’s usage in contemporary contexts tends to be predominantly in Italy and among Italian diaspora populations.

Overall, Coppo is primarily recognized as a historical Italian surname with a notable association to a mid-13th-century Florentine painter, reflecting broader patterns of naming and artistic activity in medieval Italy.