Where the Femia surname comes from
Femia is the short, familiar form of Eufemia, an old Christian given name of Greek origin. Euphemía means “she who is spoken of well,” “of good repute.” It was the name of saints and martyrs widely venerated in the South. The given-name explanation is the most convincing, but the origin is still debated.
A name entrusted to a saint
In southern Italy, giving that name to a daughter was a way of placing her under the saint’s protection. The PDF tells why Calabria in particular is a land of this devotion, and what the second explanation for the origin is.
Where the Femias live today
Femia is a rare Calabrian surname. There are about 700 families in Italy. Its heartland is the Ionian coast of the province of Reggio Calabria, in Marina di Gioiosa Ionica and the Locride. The families in Piedmont, Liguria and Lombardy came with the emigration of the 1900s. Worldwide there are about 3,700 Femias. The PDF has the region-by-region map and the countries around the world they reached.
Variants
The PDF records no widespread variants of Femia.
FAQ
What does the surname Femia mean?
It is the short form of Eufemia, a Greek name meaning “she who is spoken of well.” The name was borne by several saints widely venerated in southern Italy.
Is Femia a Calabrian surname?
Yes. The heartland is the Ionian coast of the province of Reggio Calabria, in Marina di Gioiosa Ionica and the Locride. The branches in Piedmont, Liguria and Lombardy are more recent.
Does Femia come from Eufemia or from a place-name?
The most convincing explanation is the name Eufemia. Some also derive it from place-names tied to the devotion to Saint Euphemia, which are numerous in Calabria. The two explanations do not rule each other out.
Are all Femias related?
Not all, but it is a surname gathered in a few nearby towns. People who carry it in the same town or along the same stretch of coast have a good chance of tracing back to a common branch.
Is the Femia surname noble?
No. It is a rare surname, born among ordinary people from a given name. No independent historical source links it to a coat of arms or a title.
Is there a Femia family coat of arms?
No. There is no record of a coat of arms that can be attributed to a Femia family, and there is no coat of arms that belongs to a surname as a whole.
How many Femias are there in the world?
About 3,700. About 2,000 live in Italy, almost all in Calabria. Abroad the largest groups are in the United States and Argentina.
Where do you look for Femia ancestors?
In continental southern Italy, civil registration begins in 1809. Before that you use parish registers. The starting point is Marina di Gioiosa Ionica.
