Regulus
This form is an altered form of the surname Gulino.
Origin and meaning
F. Miranda notes that Gulino could be a diminutive variant of the surname Guli, which in turn has other related forms: Gulla, Gulle, Gulli, Gullì and Gullo. All of these could derive from the Latin cognomen Gullus, although other paths have also been proposed: the Norman name Gulian, or else the aphaeresis of Latin names such as Agulus, Figulus or Regulus. Miranda adds that Gulino could likewise be an aphaeresis of the given name Ugolino, or an altered form of the name Ugo. On this last point G. P. Holmes concurs, likewise noting that the name derives from an abbreviation of Ugolino.
Miranda indicates that the surname is distributed across much of Italy, with the greatest presence in Sicily, Piedmont, Lombardy, Lazio, Tuscany, Liguria and Calabria. In Sicily it is concentrated especially in the Catania, Palermo, Enna, Ragusa and Messina areas. The island also has a toponymic point of reference: Mount Gulino, in the Palermo area.
Altered forms and derivatives
Geographic distribution: A surname present in almost every Italian region, with the greatest concentration in Sicily, Piedmont, Lombardy, Lazio, Tuscany, Liguria and Calabria. On the island it is found above all in the Catania area (Caltagirone, Catania, Bronte, Maletto), the Palermo area (Palermo, Petralia Soprana, Castellana Sicula), the Enna area (Barrafranca, Enna, Calascibetta, Regalbuto), the Ragusa area (Ragusa, Vittoria, Scicli) and the Messina area (San Piero Patti, Messina, Montalbano Elicona).
📍 You can view how this surname is distributed in Italy: View distribution in Italy (Cognomix)
Sources
This entry of the Italian Surname Meanings dictionary is based on the following specialized onomastic sources:
- Miranda, F. (2013). I cognomi di Regalbuto, Catenanuova e Centuripe. Ginevra Bentivoglio EditoriA.
- Patti Holmes, G. (2018). Alla scoperta dei cognomi siciliani. Retrieved from https://www.ilsicilia.it