Mid 18th century; earliest use found in Giuseppe Baretti (1719–1789), writer. From Italian romagnolo (adjective) of or relating to the Romagna or its inhabitants, (noun) native or inhabitant of the Romagna, of or relating to the dialect of Italian spoken in the Romagna from Italian Romagnola, †Romagnuola, the name of the region (although this is apparently not securely attested until later: 1342 or earlier) from post-classical Latin Romandiola. The region was apparently so called by Germanic tribes invading from the north, on account of the fact that it had still remained part of the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire. With the noun compare post-classical Latin Romandiolus, in same sense.