Where the Campo surname comes from
Campo is one of the clearest surnames there is. It comes from the Latin campus: open land, worked and farmed. From this word two paths begin. For some families it named someone who came from a place called Campo or Campi. For others it was the nickname of someone who lived near the fields or worked them. The path changes, but the meaning stays the same.
A surname born more than once
Precisely because it comes from an everyday word, Campo arose in more than one place, even at opposite ends of the country. Its heart, though, has a precise address, on the sea of western Sicily. Among the Campos who left their mark are a soldier who fought with Garibaldi and an urban planner who studied earthquakes. Their stories are in the PDF.
Where the Campos live today
There are about 4,300 Campo families in Italy, a little over ten thousand people. The surname is found a bit everywhere, but it is strongest in Sicily, around Trapani. The record belongs to an island: on Favignana, in the Egadi Islands, Campo is the town’s top surname. Far from Sicily, old branches remain in Veneto and Apulia. Around the world there seem to be a great many Campos, but almost all of them have another story. The region-by-region map and the count of Italian Campos around the world are in the PDF.
Variants
The same word gave a plural form and a form with the article. The PDF explains where each one comes from.
| Surname | Where it is concentrated |
|---|---|
| Campo | Sicily (around Trapani), then Lombardy, Veneto, Lazio |
| Campi | mainly Lombardy and Emilia |
| Del Campo | rare, here and there in Italy |
FAQ
What does the Campo surname mean?
It comes from the Latin campus, farmed land. It named someone who came from a place called Campo, or someone who lived near the fields or worked them.
Is Campo a Sicilian surname?
The surname is found all over Italy, but its heart is in Sicily, around Trapani. On Favignana it is the town’s top surname. Old, separate branches also exist around Belluno and in Apulia.
Are Campo and Campi the same surname?
They come from the same word. In old records the same family could appear as Campo, Campi or Del Campo: if you’re looking for your ancestors, check every form.
Are all Campos related?
No. The surname comes from a common word and arose several times in different places, with no single founder. To trace your own story you need birth records and parish registers.
Are the Campos who live abroad of Italian origin?
Almost never. “Campo” is also a Spanish and Portuguese word, and most of the world’s Campos live in Spain, Latin America and the Philippines, with a story all their own.
Is the Campo surname noble?
The surname itself doesn’t indicate nobility. Heraldic tradition records a Campo family of Adernò, in Sicily, with the title of baron of Campofranco. Nearly all Campos, however, come from families who lived off the land.
Is there a Campo family coat of arms?
There is no coat of arms for all the Campos. The coat of arms of the Adernò family was the mark of that branch and that house, not of all the Campos.
Where should I look for Campo ancestors in Sicily?
In Sicily civil registration begins in 1820. Before that date, Campos are found in parish registers, kept after the Council of Trent of 1563.
