Longhi () is an Italian surname of ancient origin, initially spelled as Longo (), of which Longhi is plural. Some groups gained great power in the Middle Ages and into the modern era, holding dozens of titles of nobility and vast estates in north-central Italy. The surname appears in many dialectal variants, such as Longis, Longoni, Longa, Longhù, Longi, Longu and others. In addition to the Longus, the plural Longi is usually found in Latin texts. However, since in Italian means "long", "tall", "ancient" or "long", and is a word of common usage, it is likely that many of the numerous groups scattered throughout Italy had independent origins.
Ancient Rome
The word appeared as a denominator of persons since Ancient Rome, arising in a branch of the Sempronia gens, the Long Semprons. Two of their representatives were consuls, the highest magistracy in the period of the Roman Republic, cited by Livy, Tacitus, and Polybius.
Another gens also used the Longo name in Rome, the Atilia gens, which had 19 consuls as well as patrician and plebeian branches. Athilius, one of the first three consular tribunes, elected in 444 B.C., Sulpitius and Duilio, who held the same office respectively in 390 and 339 B.C., are notable individuals. Mussidius Longo, proconsul, issued several coins soon after Julius Caesar's death. In the time of Mark Antony, Julius Longo issued coins. Lucilius, a senator, was a close friend of Tiberius () and accompanied him in his exile. The Atilia gens flourished at least until the second century.
In the Middle Ages, the surname appears in various parts of Italy, however, without any assured connection between them.
Venice
According to tradition, at the decay of the Roman Empire, Luca Longo, magister equitum, of obscure origin, in the year 560, began to connect the islands of Venice with bridges, erecting buildings and temples, but his tracks were subsequently lost, although it is claimed that he was the origin of some tribunes and then of a patrician lineage. There is no documentary proof, being likely an onomastic coincidence that the next people who appear, five centuries later, are effectively in the patriciate.
In Venice, they reappeared in 1053, when Ursa, widow of Petrus Longus, donated a vineyard to the Dominicans on the island of Chioggia. In the 12th century, Jacopo is mentioned as admiral, a position traditionally attributed to the patriciate, and Benedict, Dominic, and John appear signing state documents together with other patricians and the doge. In 1268, Gerard was the supreme commander of the armies of the city, and in 1272 he was part of the embassy sent to Bologna. They were excluded from the patriciate in 1297, being reinstated in 1380 in recognition of their contribution to the war against Genoa, and confirmed as nobles in the 19th century.
In the 16th century, the patricians Francesco and his son Antonio were on the Council of Ten; the son left an important account of the war against the Turks, and a grandson was a secret counselor. Several others became known as warriors, writers, clerks, politicians. Many were podestà in Venetian cities and territories, such as Taddeo, Francesco, Antonio, Claudio, Vincenzo, and Nicolò; podestàs of Vicenza, Verona, Brescia,Martinengo, the Imagna valley, the Seriana valley, and Asola. In Venice, of note is also Laura, a "virtuous lady" and wife of the powerful Bergamo nobleman Gian Girolamo Albani, an official in Venice and cardinal after he became a widower. She descended from Abbondio Longhi, lord of the Castle of Urgnano and secretary to Bartolomeo Colleoni, celebrated condottiero.
Brescia
The most notable medieval group is that formed by the Ugoni-Longhi counts or Ugonidi. Tradition claims they descended from the Long Semprons of Ancient Rome, but there is no documentary proof.
According to Marchetti-Longhi, this is "an ancient feudal family of Lombard origin, scattered in Lombardy, Liguria, and Veneto, and then rooted also in Rome. [...] The origin of these counts is rather obscure and controversial, but they claimed to have been invested of the County of Brescia at the end of 974 by Otto II." Their most immediate roots probably lie in Ugo, who in 1085 inherited the County of Sabioneta from his father, Boson II, and pass his name onto his offspring. His wife was Matilde, daughter of the counts Arduini of Parma. The first record of the surname in this region, dated 1167, cites Narisio, Vizzolo, and Azzo Longhi as counts of Montichiari, Asola, and Mosio. The testimonies of Andrione of Redondesco, along with others in a court case of 1228, confirm the consanguinity of the Longhi with the Ugonids: