SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Rosalia

Origin and meaning

E. De Felice notes that the surname has as its base the feminine name Rosalia, specific to Sicily and still very frequent there in the local forms Rusulia and Rusulina. He adds that the cult of Saint Rosalia, patron of Palermo of the 12th century (celebrated on 4 September), consolidated the name in Sicily from the 17th century.

De Felice specifies that on the island the masculine Rosalino and Rosolino are also used. He notes that it is diffused predominantly in Sicily and extended in part to Calabria and Campania.

A. Bongioanni suggests that it may derive from Rosalinda.

Variants

Altered forms and derivatives

Geographic distribution: Sicily predominantly; extended in part to Calabria and Campania

📍 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:

  • Bongioanni, A. (1940). Nomi e Cognomi. Saggio di ricerche etimologiche e storiche. Milano: Fratelli Bocca.
  • De Felice, E. (1978). Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. Milano: Mondadori.