Leonardo 's full name was `` Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci '' , which means `` Leonardo , the son of Messer ( Mister ) Piero from Vinci '' . Leonardo had no surname in the modern sense , â da Vinciâ simply meaning â of Vinciâ : his full birth name was `` Lionardo di ser Piero da Vinci '' , meaning `` Leonardo , ( son ) of ( Mes ) ser Piero from Vinci '' . The inclusion of the title `` ser '' indicated that Leonardo 's father was a gentleman .