Where the Gallo surname comes from
Gallo comes from the Latin gallus, which meant “rooster” but also “inhabitant of Gaul.” Scholars point to three paths, which don’t rule each other out. A Roman personal name, the nickname of someone who raised roosters or strutted proudly, or one of the towns called Gallo. In different places the surname may have been born in different ways.
A monk from far away
At the beginning of the 7th century an Irish monk settled among the mountains of Switzerland. Around his cell grew something that still bears his name. Scholars believe his cult helped spread the name Gallo. The PDF tells his story, along with that of the peoples Rome called Gauls.
Where the Gallos live today
There are about 21,900 Gallo families in Italy, and the surname has two hearts very far apart. One is Piedmont, especially around Turin. The other is Campania, with a strong presence in Calabria too. The town where it is the top surname is in Sicily: Palazzolo Acreide, in the province of Syracuse. The region-by-region map and the countries around the world where the Gallos settled are in the PDF.
Variants
Alongside Gallo live the plural form of central and northern Italy and several diminutives, each with its own region. The PDF explains where each one comes from.
| Surname | Where it is concentrated |
|---|---|
| Gallo | Piedmont, Campania, Calabria |
| Galli | Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany |
| Galletti | Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Lombardy |
| Gallucci | Campania, Lazio, Lombardy |
| Galluzzo | Sicily, Calabria, Lombardy |
| Gallone | Apulia, Piedmont, Lazio |
FAQ
What does the Gallo surname mean?
It comes from the Latin gallus, “rooster” and also “inhabitant of Gaul.” It may have come from a Roman name, from a nickname tied to the bird, or from one of the towns called Gallo.
Is Gallo a Sicilian or a Piedmontese surname?
Both, and more. Piedmont and Campania are the regions where it is most common, followed by Calabria. Sicily has the town where it is the top surname, Palazzolo Acreide.
Are Gallo and Galli the same surname?
They have the same origin. Gallo is the singular form of the South and of Piedmont, Galli the plural form, common above all in Lombardy. Until the 1800s the same family could appear in the records in different forms.
Are all Gallos related?
No. The surname was born in many regions and in different ways: two Gallo families almost never have any connection. To rebuild your own family history you need birth records and parish registers.
Is the Gallo surname noble?
The surname itself doesn’t mean nobility. There were noble Gallo families, like the one from Osimo and the Gallo marquises between Calabria and Naples. Nearly all Gallo families, though, never had a coat of arms.
Is there a Gallo family coat of arms?
There is no single coat of arms for all Gallos. Some branches had their own, with a rooster drawn on it, but it belonged to them alone.
Is Gallo also a Spanish surname?
Yes. In Spain and Latin America there is a Gallo surname born independently of the Italian one. That’s why, in countries like Argentina, Gallos of Italian origin mix with those of Spanish origin.
