Jacuzzi is an American brand specializing in hot tubs, swim spas, saunas, and bathroom products, renowned for inventing and popularizing modern hydrotherapy through innovative jet systems and pumps.[1] The name originates from the Jacuzzi family, Italian immigrants who arrived in the United States in the early 1900s and initially innovated in aviation and agriculture before entering the wellness industry.[2] In the 1940s, Candido Jacuzzi developed a therapeutic hydrotherapy pump to treat his son Kenneth’s rheumatoid arthritis, marking the family’s pivotal shift toward medical and recreational water therapy.[2] By 1956, the family introduced the J-300, the first commercially successful portable hydrotherapy pump, which gained widespread fame through television endorsements and celebrity ownership by figures like Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe.[2] In 1968, Roy Jacuzzi created the Roman, the world’s first integrated whirlpool bath featuring patented jets with a 50-50 air-to-water ratio, transforming hydrotherapy from a medical tool into a mainstream luxury for relaxation and socialization.[1] Over the decades, the brand expanded globally, introducing energy-efficient designs, smart technology, and products sold in over 100 countries, while the term “jacuzzi” has become a genericized trademark synonymous with any hot tub or whirlpool bath.[2][3]

The name “Jacuzzi” derives from the surname of an Italian immigrant family hailing from the Friuli region in northern Italy. The surname was originally “Iacuzzi”, but was misspelled as “Jacuzzi” by U.S. immigration officials when the first brothers arrived in 1907. In the early 1900s, seven brothers—Candido, Giocondo, Gelindo, Giuseppe, Francesco, Valeriano, and Rachele—immigrated to the United States over several years (between 1907 and 1921), eventually settling in California after departing from their hometown of Casarsa della Delizia.[4][5] Their parents, Giovanni and Teresa Jacuzzi, had raised a large family of 13 children amid the agricultural life of the area, with the brothers initially pursuing opportunities in aviation and engineering upon arrival.