Cirelli is a surname of predominantly toponymic origin, associated with several place names in southern Italy. According to E. Rossoni, it derives from nicknames based on the place names Cirella, in the province of Cosenza, and Cirello, in the area of Reggio Calabria. In this interpretation, the surname originally identified individuals who came from or were connected with those localities.

S. Vannozzi proposes a different documentary reconstruction based on records from Cercemaggiore in Molise. According to his research, the surname evolved from the earlier form Cerciello, itself derived from the place name Circello in the province of Benevento. Over the centuries, the surname underwent a series of phonetic and orthographic changes before reaching its modern form.

Distribution

According to Rossoni, Cirelli is found throughout Italy, although its origins appear to be rooted in southern Italy, particularly in Calabria.

Variants and Related Forms

Vannozzi documents several historical forms that appear during the evolution of the surname:

• Cerciello
• Cercello
• Cirella
• Cerellus
• Cerello
• Ceriello

These forms ultimately contributed to the development of the modern surname Cirelli.

Notes

Vannozzi identifies the Cirelli family among the oldest documented families of Cercemaggiore. He also records the presence of a second family bearing the same surname that arrived from another locality in Molise. Over time, the two branches became indistinguishable, although one of them was traditionally known by the nickname i Melesciane ("the Molisans").

While some sources associate the surname with the personal name Ciro, the evidence presented by Rossoni and Vannozzi favors a toponymic origin connected with localities in Calabria and Campania, followed by a long process of regional linguistic evolution.