Meaning & History
Manco is an Italian surname derived from the Italian adjective mancus, meaning "left-handed". The Latin root mancus originally carried the sense of "maimed" or "disabled," and the surname likely originated as a nickname for a left-handed person, much like the English surname Cohen (unrelated) or the Sicilian variant Mancuso. In many cultures, left-handedness was historically viewed with suspicion or associated with clumsiness, and surnames describing physical traits were common across Europe.
Geographic Distribution
According to Stefano Ravara's Mappa dei Cognomi, the surname Manco is concentrated in southern Italy, particularly in the regions of Campania, Calabria, and Sicily. The related variant Mancini (also meaning "little lefty") is more widespread throughout central and northern Italy. The Sicilian form Mancuso retains the same root meaning but reflects the regional phonetic evolution.
The surname is not to be confused with the homophonic Italian interjection manco meaning "even less" or "neither." Though phonetically identical, the proper noun Manco is always capitalized and invariable in its use as a surname.
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Manco