Variants and related surnames: Riggitano, Rigitano, Reitano, Raitano, Regitano, Riitano, Rijitano, Risitano, Rissitano, Rizitano, Rizzitano Information about the surname The surname Riggitano is a rare Italian surname that traces its origin to Reggio Calabria, located in southern Italy. It is a dialectal ethnonym derived from reggitanu or rigghitanu, which in the local dialects refers to a person from Reggio Calabria. This form has generated a wide range of variants over time due to phonetic evolution, transcription errors, and regional influences. According to V. Blunda (2014), Riggitano is a rare variant of Rigitano, a surname typical of southern Calabria, especially in the province of Reggio Calabria. Variants such as Reitano, Rigitano, and Rizzitano are often geographically specific:

• Reitano is common in eastern Sicily (Catania and Messina) and southern Calabria.
• Rigitano is mostly found in southern Calabria.
• Rizzitano is linked to the area of the Strait of Messina and Palmi (RC).
• Riitano and Rijitano are specific to the province of Catanzaro.
• Risitano and Rissitano are typical of Messina.
• Regitano, Rizitano, and others may have emerged through errors in transcription or as archaic forms.

In the etymological analysis by E. Rossoni (2004), Riggitano is classified as a dialectal form of an ethnonym (place-related name), derived from the demonym for Reggio Calabria. These forms reflect both the linguistic evolution and the influence of local dialects. Additionally, some theories (cf. anonymous etymological sources online) suggest that the suffix -tano—frequent in southern Italian surnames—may point to historical Greek-Byzantine influences in the region. Geographical distribution Distribution of the surname in Italy Distribution of the surname worldwide Sources consulted

• Blunda, V. (2014). Supposte origini dei cognomi di Sicilia. Edizione digitale.
• Rossoni, E. (2004). Origine e storia dei cognomi italiani. Edizione digitale.
• Macrìs, D. (2007). Cognomi greci di Messina. M.A.C.R.I.S. Messenion.
• Various online etymological sources, cross-referenced with historical surname registries.