SURNAMES IN ITALY

Calatabiano

This form is a variant of the surname Caltabiano.

Origin and meaning

E. Rossoni and F. Miranda agree that this surname derives from the place name Calatabiano, a locality of the province of Catania, in Sicily.

Miranda specifies that the place name Calatabiano comes from the Arabic kalaat ("castle") and al Bian, the name of the Arab kakin ("lord") who inhabited that castle, situated near the Alcantara river. The surname is typical of eastern Sicily, especially of the Catania area, and is present in all the Sicilian provinces, with a greater concentration in Catania, Syracuse, Messina, Palermo and Caltanissetta. It is also documented in Lazio, Lombardy, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Piedmont, Tuscany and Campania.

Variants

Geographic distribution: Sicily: Catania area

📍 You can view how this surname is distributed in Italy: View distribution in Italy (Cognomix)

Comparative analysis based on 2 authors: where they agree, the hypothesis is strengthened; where they differ, the alternative interpretations are presented.

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
  • Miranda, F. (2013). I cognomi di Regalbuto, Catenanuova e Centuripe. Ginevra Bentivoglio EditoriA.