Ferrari

also Ferraro, Ferri

The smith — Italy's Smith, and a name that means speed.

Origin: Italian
Famous bearer: Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988), founder of the Ferrari marque
Register: Italian family

The seat of Ferrari

Seat vacant

Chief

No one leads the Ferrari community yet. When the movement opens, you can stand for its leadership, or help elect whoever does.

Current mission

No shared goal set yet. Once Ferrari has leadership, it sets the public focus: a restoration, a gathering, a real-world project that helps its own.

The Ferrari clan is being rebuilt. Join the waiting list for the movement today, and you help decide who leads it and what it does.

Help rebuild the Ferrari clan →

What does the Ferrari name mean?

The smith — from ferraro, the worker in ferro, iron — in the family plural Ferrari. The Italian cousin of Smith, Schmidt and Lefebvre.

The history of Ferrari

Ferraro, the ironworker, gave Italy its great smith-surname just as faber gave France Lefebvre and smið gave England Smith — the same indispensable trade, named again, thickest in the north. And it became the most famous name in the history of the motor car: Enzo Ferrari, son of a metal-fabricator near Modena, turned the family smith-name into the prancing horse of Maranello. A name that began at the village forge now means Italian speed the world over.

The same name across Europe

Ferrari shares its meaning — not its bloodline — with these names from other corners of Europe: cognates, the same word for the same thing, formed independently in each language. Cousins by meaning, with separate ancestral stories a search box flattens into near-twins.

Explore With Your Ancestors · Beta

Chat with your Ferrari ancestorsWalk in →

Pick any year from 500 to 1945 and any place on earth — the Ferrari country, or a shore no Ferrari ever reached. The chronicler sets the scene; the deeds are yours.

Notable bearers of the Ferrari name

Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988), founder of the Ferrari marque

Frequently asked

What does the surname Ferrari mean?

The smith — from ferraro, the worker in ferro, iron — in the family plural Ferrari. The Italian cousin of Smith, Schmidt and Lefebvre. Ferraro, the ironworker, gave Italy its great smith-surname just as faber gave France Lefebvre and smið gave England Smith — the same indispensable trade, named again, thickest in the north.

Is Ferrari a Italian surname?

Yes, Ferrari is a Italian surname. Its editorial home in this atlas is Italian, where the historical territory and family record of the name are concentrated.

How old is the Ferrari surname?

Ferraro, the ironworker, gave Italy its great smith-surname just as faber gave France Lefebvre and smið gave England Smith — the same indispensable trade, named again, thickest in the north. European hereditary surnames crystallised broadly between the 12th and 14th centuries, and the Ferrari name took its modern form within that long settlement.

What is the Ferrari family known for?

The smith — Italy's Smith, and a name that means speed. Ferraro, the ironworker, gave Italy its great smith-surname just as faber gave France Lefebvre and smið gave England Smith — the same indispensable trade, named again, thickest in the north.

Who is the most famous Ferrari?

The best-known bearer of the Ferrari name is Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988), founder of the Ferrari marque. Their life and connection to the family are profiled in full on the dedicated champion page.

Is Ferraro the same family as Ferrari?

Yes. Ferraro is a historical spelling variant of the Ferrari name. The two share the same lineage and family affiliation; different parishes, clerks and migration registrars recorded the same name in slightly different forms, and the variant spellings sit on the same family tree.

Is Ferri the same family as Ferrari?

Yes. Ferri is a historical spelling variant of the Ferrari name. The two share the same lineage and family affiliation; different parishes, clerks and migration registrars recorded the same name in slightly different forms, and the variant spellings sit on the same family tree.

Where is the Ferrari surname found today?

Italian is the primary historical home of the Ferrari surname. In the modern era, the name is also borne across the wider diaspora, particularly in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, where families carry the line of descent from the same Italian origin recorded on this page.

What does the Clan Rising page for the Ferrari family cover?

The Clan Rising page for the Ferrari family covers the meaning of the surname, the historical geography of the name, famous bearers of the name and the seat of the head of the family. Each section is linked to the underlying atlas of Italian so the name can be read in the geography that shaped it.

Who is the head of the Ferrari family today?

The seat for the head of the Ferrari family is currently vacant on this register. Clan Rising is rebuilding the chief and family structure for the modern era, and the family page allows readers to claim the seat or pledge to the name.