Variants and related surnames: Valastro, Balastro, Vallestro, Vallastro, Dalastro About the surname The surname Valastro is of Italian origin and is mainly concentrated in Sicily, particularly in the provinces of Catania, Siracusa, and Ragusa. Various researchers consider it a potentially toponymic surname, even though no current place bears the name Valastro. Some hypotheses suggest it may derive from a lost or transformed place name, or from a phonetic alteration of an older surname or given name. Another possibility, as noted by E. Rossoni, is that the name is a compound or phonetically evolved form based on the root "val" (meaning valley), with a suffix typical of southern Italian surnames. In V. Blunda’s book Supposte origini dei cognomi di Sicilia, an etymology is proposed linking Valastro to the surname Balastro, which was documented in the area of Palagonia in the 18th century. This surname might originate from a nickname or medieval given name with Germanic or Catalan-Aragonese roots, possibly introduced during the Spanish rule in southern Italy. Blunda also notes that some Valastro families were among the settlers who repopulated areas of inland Sicily during the 16th and 17th centuries. Current distribution in Italy and worldwide Distribution of the surname in Italy Distribution of the surname worldwide Sources consulted

• Rossoni, E. (n.d.). Origine e storia dei cognomi italiani. Digital edition.
• Blunda, V. (n.d.). Supposte origini dei cognomi di Sicilia. Digital edition.
• Tosti, J. (n.d.). Dictionnaire en ligne des noms de famille [archived version].