Calabria History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

From the ancient and beautiful Italian island of Sicily emerged a variety of distinguished names, including the notable surname Calabria. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they were characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of Sicily is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, and does not necessarily denote nobility. The Calabria family lived in Viterbo.

Early Origins of the Calabria family

The surname Calabria was first found in the southern region of Sicily.

Early History of the Calabria family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Calabria research. The years 1656, 1659, 1664, 1666, 1669, 1750 and 1804 are included under the topic Early Calabria History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calabria Spelling Variations

Italian surnames come in far more variations than the names of most other nationalities. Regional traditions and dialects are a decisive factor in this characteristic. For example, northern names tend to end in "o", while southern in "i". Also important, but not unique to Italy, was the fact that before dictionaries and the printing press most scribes simply spelled words according to their sounds. The predictable result was an enormous number of spelling variations. The recorded spellings of Calabria include Calabria, Calabrèse, Calabrese, Calabrèsi, Calabresi, Càlabri, Calabri, Calabra, Calabrètta, Calabretta, Calabr and many more.

Early Notables of the Calabria family

Prominent among bearers of this surname in early times was Vincenzo Calabro, who was a civic senator in Messina in 1656, 1659, and in 1664. Giuseppe Calabro...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Calabria Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calabria migration to the United States +

An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Calabria arrived in North America very early:

Calabria Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Agata Calabria, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Borgetto, Sicily, in 1910
Antonio Calabria, aged 23, who landed in America from Canfora, Italy, in 1910
Carmela Calabria, aged 17, who settled in America from Campora, Italy, in 1911
Ambrosia Calabria, aged 37, who settled in America from Conflenti, Italy, in 1911
Angelo Calabria, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from Campore, Italy, in 1913
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)