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Surnames and Their Origins

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CIARLARIELLO — This surname derives from the Italian verb “ciarlare,” meaning chatting too much. Ancestors of these present families may have been noted for being chatty. It is present in 11 regions out of Italy’s 20. The region with the largest number of Ciarariello families is Molise. Variations: CIARLARIELLI.

CIAVATTA — This surname is derived from a dialect word meaning “slippers,” possibly connected to the job of cobbler or as a nickname for someone dressed very casually. It is present in 13 regions out of the 20. It is mostly found in the vital statistic records in Emilia-Romagna. Variations: CIAVATTELLA.

CICCARELLI — This surname is derived from the diminutive names referring to Francesco, Cicco and Cecco. It is a very common surname in all 20 regions. It is mostly found in the vital statistic records in Campania and least in Val D’Aosta and Sardegna. Variations: CICCARESE, CICCHELLO, CICCHETTO, CICCHI, CICCHINELLO, CICCHINI, CICCHITO, CICCONI, CICCOTTO, CICHELLI.

CICCIO — This surname is possibly a derivative of a nickname possibly referring to an obese person. It is not among the most common of surnames. It is present in only 11 regions, mostly in Sicily.

CICCOTOSTO — This surname derives from two Italian dialect words from “cicco” and “tosto,” meaning hard character. Again, it is not among the most common of surnames. It is present in only six regions, mostly in Abruzzo and least in Emilia-Romagna.

CINZIO — This surname derives from the female first name Cinzia; this name derives from the place where Greek gods Apollus and his sister Artemis, named in Roman mythology as Cynthus and Cynthia, were born on the Cinto Mountain on the Greek Island of Delos Island. Variations: CINZO.

CIPOLLONE — This surname is derived from the Italian word “cipolla,” which means onion. Ancestors of the present day Cipollone families may have had ancestors that possibly had the nickname cipolla. It is present in 13 regions out of the 20. It is most commonly found in Abruzzo. Variations: CIPOLLETTA, CIPOLLETTI, CIPOLLETTO, CIPOLLI.

CIPRIANI — This is a very common surname present in all 20 regions. Judging by the numerous families with this surname, a large number of present-day Italians have ancestors that were from Cyprus. Cipriani is the Italian word for Cyprian, a person from Cyprus or of Cyprian descent. It is found in the bureaus of vital statistics mostly in Toscany and least in Val D’Aosta. Variations: CIPRIANO.

CIRINO — This surname derives from the first name Ciro, Italian for Cyrus. It is present in 18 regions, most commonly in Sicily. It is not registered in the vital statistic records of Basilicata and Val D’Aosta. Variations: CIRELLI, CIRELLO, CIRONE, CIRONI.

CIRILLO — This surname is derived from the first name Cirillus. This surname is among the most common of Italian surnames. It is present in all 20 regions, mostly in Campania and least in Val D’Aosta.

CIRULLO — This surname possibly is another surname derived from the first name Ciro. It is not that common, showing up in only ten regions, mostly Calabria. Variations: Cirulli.

CIUFFETELLI — This surname is from a nickname derived from the Italian word “ciuffo,” a band of hair on the forehead. It is not a common surname found in only 11 regions with Abruzzo having the largest number of families with this surname.

Next month will continue researching surnames ending in “C.”

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