brunetti

Brunetti is an Italian surname. It is derived from the given name Bruno, with the diminutive or patronymic suffix -etti, yielding a meaning such as “little Bruno” or “son of Bruno.” The name belongs to the family of patronymic Italian surnames and is part of the broader tradition of forming family names from first names. It is most prevalent in northern and central Italy and has spread to other regions and abroad through migration and diaspora communities.

In popular culture, Brunetti is best known for Commissario Guido Brunetti, the Venetian police commissioner in the crime novels by Donna Leon. The series began with Death at La Fenice in 1992 and has been translated into numerous languages, boosting the name’s international recognition.

Real bearers of the surname exist in Italy and among Italian communities worldwide, spanning a range of professions. As with many Italian surnames, Brunetti can appear in various regional spellings and, in some cases, as part of compound surnames in different cultures. The form Brunetti remains the most common and recognizable version in Italian-speaking contexts.