SURNAMES IN ITALY

Gregorace

This form is a variant of the surname Gregoraci.

Origin and meaning

G. Rohlfs identifies this surname as of Greco-Byzantine origin, a sibling form of Gregorace, found throughout Calabria. He considers it a hypocoristic of the name Gregorio, and notes that in Greece it survives as the surname Grigorakis. He further links the surname with the Gligoraci district of Roccaforte, a locality belonging to the Greek-speaking area of Bova.

P. Durante agrees in pointing to the Greek origin of the surname, derived from a given name, without supplying further detail.

Variants

Geographic distribution: 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:

  • 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.
  • Bergamo, N. (2013, May 21). Impero Romano d'Oriente 330–1453 la sua storia. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from https://www.imperobizantino.it/