If you’ve spent any time researching this region, you’ve probably noticed both names (Abruzzo or Abruzzi) floating around.
Often used interchangeably, sometimes even in the same sentence.
So which one is actually correct, and why does the confusion exist at all?
The short answer is straightforward.
The history behind it is genuinely interesting.
Is it Abruzzo or Abruzzi?
Abruzzo (singular) is the correct, current, official name of the region — used in all modern Italian government documents, maps, travel guides, and everyday conversation in Italy today.
Abruzzi (plural) is the older historical name.
It’s not incorrect exactly, but it’s outdated.
A name from a period when the region was still administratively fragmented into multiple separate territories.
If you see “Abruzzi” used today, it’s usually in one of three contexts:
- older texts and maps
- place names that have preserved the historical form
- or English-language communities — particularly Italian-American ones — where the older name simply never fully updated
Why Was It Ever Called “Abruzzi” in the First Place?
This is where the naming history gets genuinely interesting, and it explains the plural form perfectly.
The region used to be three separate territories
During the era of the Kingdom of Naples, what is now the single region of Abruzzo was divided into three distinct administrative territories:
- Abruzzo Citeriore (“nearer Abruzzo,” closer to Naples),
- Abruzzo Ulteriore I
- and Abruzzo Ulteriore II (“farther Abruzzo,” further from Naples)
Later, under Napoleonic-era administration in 1807, these were reorganised with Teramo and L’Aquila as capitals of the two “Ulteriore” provinces, while Chieti remained the capital of the “Citeriore” territory.
The plural is just basic Italian grammar
If you know a little Italian, this part makes immediate sense: the plural of a word ending in “-o” typically ends in “-i”.
Since there were three separate Abruzzo territories, Italians referred to them collectively as Abruzzi — literally “the Abruzzos”.
It wasn’t a different name; it was the grammatically correct plural for three regions that all shared the same root name.
1963: Abruzzo and Molise formally split
When Italy unified in 1860, these territories were combined with the area that is now Molise, and the whole combined territory was known for over a century as Abruzzi e Molise.
It wasn’t until 1963 that the Italian government formally separated Abruzzi e Molise into the two distinct modern regions we know today: Abruzzo and Molise, when Molise officially became Italy’s 20th region.
At that point, the now-single, unified region adopted the singular form “Abruzzo” as its official name — matching its new status as one unified territory rather than a collection of several.
Why Do So Many English Speakers Still Say “Abruzzi”?
This is the part that surprises most people:
The persistence of “Abruzzi” in English has almost nothing to do with confusion today, and almost everything to do with history.
Between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, large numbers of people emigrated from the Abruzzo region to the United States and other countries, during the exact period when the plural “Abruzzi” was still the commonly used name.
These emigrants carried the name with them, and it was preserved — often for generations — within Italian-American communities, family histories, and cultural references, even as the name officially changed to “Abruzzo” back in Italy itself.
This is also why you’ll still find towns with names like Roseto degli Abruzzi and Anversa degli Abruzzi.
The plural form is baked directly into certain place names, a linguistic fossil from the era before the 1963 split, even though the towns themselves sit firmly within the modern, singular region of Abruzzo.
What About “Abruzzy” or “Abruzzos”?
If you’ve come across these spellings, they’re not historical variants.
They’re simply anglicised mispronunciations or typos that have drifted into occasional use, particularly online.
Neither has any official standing.
If you want to be precise, “Abruzzo” is the only form you’ll find in current maps, official documents, or modern travel content.
How Do You Pronounce “Abruzzo”?
The correct Italian pronunciation is ah-BROOT-so (IPA: /aˈbruttso/), with emphasis on the second syllable and a hard, doubled “z” sound — similar to the “ts” in the English word “cats”, but firmer.
One quirk worth knowing: many locals in the region itself pronounce it with a slightly emphasised double “b” — closer to “Abbruzzo“.
This isn’t grammatically standard Italian, but it’s a genuine regional speech pattern (Abruzzesi tend to lean into doubled consonants generally – you’ll hear the same tendency in local pronunciations of names like Roberto or cugino).
It’s not wrong to hear it that way locally; it’s simply not the textbook spelling or pronunciation.
Where Does the Name “Abruzzo” Actually Come From?
Beyond the singular-vs-plural history, the deeper etymology of the root name itself is genuinely debated among linguists, with a few competing theories:
- The most widely accepted theory traces “Abruzzo” to the Latin Aprutium, itself derived from the name of the Praetutii — a pre-Roman Sabellian tribe that lived in what is now the northern part of the region, around modern-day Teramo (historically known as Interamnia).
- A second theory connects the name to the Latin aper (wild boar), suggesting Abruzzo may once have meant something like “the region of wild boars” — a name that would make sense given the region’s dense forests and abundant wildlife, both historically and today.
- A third theory points to the Latin abruptum (steep, rugged), referencing the region’s dramatic mountainous terrain — also a plausible fit, given that Abruzzo is home to some of the Apennines’ highest peaks.
No single theory has been definitively confirmed, and it’s entirely possible more than one influence contributed to how the name evolved over the centuries.
So Which Name Should You Use?
If you’re writing, speaking, or searching today, Abruzzo is the correct choice.
It’s the name you’ll see on every current map, official document, and government website.
“Abruzzi” isn’t wrong exactly, but using it today marks you as either drawing on historical usage, referencing Italian-American heritage, or simply following older conventions that Italy itself moved past in 1963.
That said, if you hear an older relative, a heritage community, or a historical text use “Abruzzi”, they’re not making an error — they’re preserving a genuinely meaningful piece of the region’s own administrative history.
Curious About Life in the Region With the Complicated Name?
Now that the naming history is sorted, the more interesting question is what daily life in Abruzzo is actually like — for visitors and for the growing number of expats who call it home.
At Wanderlust Abruzzo, we help English- and German-speaking expats relocate to, and settle into life here.
Personal, bilingual, and on the ground.
Get in touch today and let’s talk about your move to Abruzzo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Abruzzi still used officially anywhere?
No. “Abruzzo” has been the sole official name of the region since 1963, when it formally separated from Molise. “Abruzzi” survives today only in historical references, certain place names (like Roseto degli Abruzzi), and English-language communities with Italian heritage — not in any current official Italian usage.
Why do some town names still include “degli Abruzzi”?
These names — like Roseto degli Abruzzi or Anversa degli Abruzzi — were established before the 1963 split, when the plural “Abruzzi” was still the standard regional name. Rather than being formally renamed, the towns simply kept their historical names, which is why the older plural form still appears on modern maps within the now-singular region of Abruzzo.
How do Italians actually pronounce Abruzzo?
Standard Italian pronunciation is ah-BROOT-so, with stress on the second syllable and a firm, doubled “z” sound. Many locals within the region itself pronounce it with a slightly emphasised “b” (closer to “Abbruzzo”), which is a regional speech habit rather than the grammatically standard form.
Why do so many Americans say “Abruzzi” instead of “Abruzzo”?
Because large numbers of Italians emigrated from the region to the United States between the late 1800s and early 1900s — precisely the period when “Abruzzi” was still the region’s official name. The term was preserved within Italian-American families and communities across generations, even after Italy itself officially adopted “Abruzzo” in 1963.
What does the name Abruzzo actually mean?
The exact origin is debated, but the leading theory traces it to the Latin Aprutium, linked to the Praetutii, a pre-Roman tribe from the Teramo area. Other theories connect it to Latin words for “wild boar” (aper) or “steep/rugged” (abruptum) — both plausible given the region’s dense forests and dramatic mountain terrain. No single theory has been definitively proven.
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