Show ContentsMancuso History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Mancuso

What does the name Mancuso mean?

From the historical and enchanting Italian region of the islands of Sicily emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Mancuso family. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they were characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most common type of family name found in Sicily is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, the nickname type of surname is also frequently found. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The surname Mancuso is a name for a person who is left handed. The name Manco is derived from the Italian word mancino, which means a left-handed man. In fact, "Manco" is the southern form of the word mancino. Alternatively, the surname Manco is of local origin and is derived from the place-name Mancusi, a town in the Benevento region of Italy, south of Naples.

Early Origins of the Mancuso family

The surname Mancuso was first found in the small town of Taormina, which is on the Eastern coast of the island, near the famous volcanic Mount Etna. A well known member of the family at this time was Girolamo Mancuso, who was a cavalier for the Emperor Charles V

Early History of the Mancuso family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mancuso research. The year 1595 is included under the topic Early Mancuso History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mancuso Spelling Variations

Surnames that originated in Italy are characterized by an enormous number of spelling variations. Some of these are derived from regional traditions and dialects. Northern names, for instance, often end in "o", while southern names tend to end in "i". Other variations come from the fact the medieval scribes tended to spell according to the sound of words, rather than any particular set of rules. The recorded variations of Mancuso include LaMancusa, LoMancuso, Manco, Manconi, Mancosu, Mancusi, Mancuso, Mangusi and many more.

Early Notables of the Mancuso family

Prominent among bearers of this surname in early times was

  • the Mancuso branch of the name which was still in Sicily, where Gian-Francesco Mancuso was a prominent judge in 1595...

Mancuso Ranking

In the United States, the name Mancuso is the 3,260th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1


Mancuso migration to the United States +

Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Mancuso:

Mancuso Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Agostine Mancuso, aged 12, who landed in America from Palermo, in 1893
  • Andreo Mancuso, aged 3, who immigrated to the United States from Palomo, in 1899
Mancuso Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Anna Mancuso, aged 43, who landed in America from Palermo, Italy, in 1900
  • Angelantonio Mancuso, aged 42, who landed in America from Napoli, in 1902
  • Agata Mancuso, aged 4, who immigrated to the United States from Parenti, in 1902
  • Anna Mancuso, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from Panattieri, in 1904
  • Angelo Mancuso, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from Valguarnera, Sicily, in 1907
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Mancuso (post 1700) +

  • Frank G. Mancuso Sr. (b. 1933), American Chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures between 1984 and 1991
  • Don Mancuso (b. 1955), American rock music guitarist and songwriter
  • Frank G. Mancuso Jr. (b. 1958), American film producer
  • Gail Mancuso, American television director
  • Julia Mancuso (b. 1984), American alpine ski racer with the U.S. Ski Team
  • Tony Mancuso, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Onondaga County 1st District, 1954 2
  • Frank Mancuso, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee, 1977 2
  • Francis X. Mancuso, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1944 2
  • Eva Mancuso, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Rhode Island, 2004 2
  • Carmelo Mancuso (b. 1965), retired Italian professional football player
  • ... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

USS Arizona
  • Mr. Joseph Mancuso, American Seaman First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 3


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  3. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook