SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Celia

Origin and meaning

E. Rossoni classifies this surname as of Siculo-Calabrian origin and links it to the Greek surname Κελία.

G. Rohlfs specifies that its origin is Greek-Byzantine and documents its presence in the province of Catanzaro —specifically in Soverato— and in the area bordering between Calabria and Basilicata, in localities such as Morano and Scalèa. Rohlfs likewise compares it with the ancient Κελία and notes that this surname reflects the influence of the Byzantine presence in southern Italy.

Geographic distribution: Sicily and Calabria

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

This entry brings together what 2 authors propose about the origin of the surname. In some cases they agree and reinforce a single hypothesis; in others, they contribute different views worth considering.

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
  • Rohlfs, G. (1974). Dizionario onomastico e toponomastico della Calabria: Prontuario filologico-geografico della Calabria. Longo Editore. Rohlfs, G. (1984). Dizionario storico dei cognomi della Sicilia orientale: Repertorio storico-etimologico. Centro di Studi Filologici e Linguistici Siciliani.