The toponym "Mezzani" comes from Latin word "medianus", meaning "in the middle of", once used to name islands on river Po. This territory originated largely from these islands in medieval times and it was continuously reshaped from river waters. Therefore signs of ancient settlements were not found here, but not far from municipality’s boundaries in Cogozzo not far from Viadana and near Coenzo were found traces of two Bronze Age villages called "terramare". The southern part of the territory still shows the signs of Roman "centuriation".