SURNAMES IN ITALY

Surname Sicilia

Origin and meaning

E. De Felice notes that this surname was formed from the name of the island of Sicily and from its patronymic derivative Siciliano, with a high frequency especially in the Naples area.

E. Rossoni indicates that the surname is diffused in a scattered way throughout the south of Italy, with a notable presence in the Cosenza, Crotone and Catanzaro areas, in those of Taranto and Brindisi, in those of Naples and Salerno, and in the whole region of Sicily. According to this author, the surname would derive from the fact that the family originally came from Sicily.

Altered forms and derivatives

Geographic distribution: The South; high frequency especially in Naples for Siciliano

📍 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:

  • De Felice, E. (1978). Dizionario dei cognomi italiani. Milano: Mondadori.
  • Rossoni, E. (2002). Origine e storia dei cognomi italiani. Retrieved from https://www.cognomiitaliani.org