Calà History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Italy

Etymology of Calà

What does the name Calà mean?

Although it has long been an Italian name, the ultimate origins of the Calà name are Greek, coming from the Greek word "cali" meaning "beautiful." The name was most likely taken on a surname quite arbitrarily, though perhaps the first bearer was a man of exceptional beauty.

Early Origins of the Calà family

The surname Calà was first found in Sicily (Italian: Sicilia), the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and the southern parts of mainland Italy. In later years, a few branches of the family spread to northern Italy, adopting the naming conventions there and changing their name to end in "i." Most of the family remained in the south, however, and kept the southern suffix "o." The name is of Greek origin, which explains its predominance in the south, closer to Greece. Coming from the Greek word "cali" meaning "beautiful" the name was probably purely ornamental, though perhaps it was given because the first bearer was a man of exceptional beauty.

Early History of the Calà family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Calà research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1272 and 1613 are included under the topic Early Calà History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calà Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Calo, Cali, Cala, Cale, Calio and others.

Early Notables of the Calà family

More information is included under the topic Early Calà Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Calà migration to the United States +

Calà Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Tomas De Cala, aged 35, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1843 1
Felix Cala, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1860 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Calà (post 1700) +

Cala Cimenti (1975-2021), Italian mountaineer who was killed by an avalanche in the Susa Valley with his friend, Patrick Negro

Sources +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)