Surname Caglia
Origin and meaning
The authors differ as to the origin of the surname. E. Rossoni considers it of scattered presence in Italy and probably originating from the Basilicata region, without specifying an etymology.
V. Blunda proposes a Greek etymology: it derives from calliàs, "beautiful person", formed on the root kal-, "beautiful, handsome". According to Blunda, the term functioned in Sicily as a nickname referring to the ancestor for his pleasant appearance, and over time became a family surname.
Geographic distribution: Basilicata
📍 You can view how this surname is distributed in Italy: View distribution in Italy (Cognomix)
Drawing on 2 authors, this entry presents the different hypotheses about the origin of the surname, avoiding a single oversimplified explanation.
Sources
This entry of the Italian Surname Meanings dictionary is based on the following specialized onomastic sources:
- Rossoni, E. (2002). Origine e storia dei cognomi italiani. Retrieved from https://www.cognomiitaliani.org
- Blunda, V. (2018). Supposte origini dei cognomi in Sicilia [Digital edition]. Retrieved from https://www.trapaninostra.it