Where the Nicastro surname comes from
Nicastro is a place-name surname: it means “the family that came from Nicastro.” Nicastro is an old town in Calabria, in the province of Catanzaro. Since 1968 it has been part of the city of Lamezia Terme. Its name comes from the Greek Neòkastron, “new castle”: a Byzantine fortress built around the 9th century.
From a Byzantine castle to Syracuse
The fortress that gave the town its name had a long history. It was rebuilt by the Normans, then by the emperor Frederick II, and a famous prisoner ended up within its walls. The PDF tells who he was, and which Nicastros from Syracuse left their mark in archives and in film.
Where the Nicastros live today
Born in Calabria, the surname put down its deepest roots in Sicily. About five thousand people carry it in Italy, more than eighteen hundred families. It is most concentrated in the Syracuse, Caltanissetta and Ragusa areas. Next come Lombardy, Campania, Piedmont and Calabria, where it began. The families in the North came with the emigration of the 1900s. The PDF has the region-by-region map and the countries around the world they reached.
Variants
The PDF records no common variants of the Nicastro surname.
FAQ
What does the surname Nicastro mean?
“The family that came from Nicastro.” It is a place-name surname, born from the name of an old Calabrian town. The town’s name comes from the Greek Neòkastron, “new castle.”
Is Nicastro a Calabrian or a Sicilian surname?
Both. It was born in Calabria, from the town of Nicastro, but today there are more Nicastros in Sicily. Many families moved to the island as early as the Middle Ages, amid raids and famines.
Where is Nicastro?
In Calabria, in the province of Catanzaro. In 1968 it merged with Sambiase and Sant’Eufemia to form the city of Lamezia Terme. The Norman-Swabian Castle still stands above the town.
Are all Nicastros related?
No. The name was given to anyone who came from that town, and different families received it at different times. To trace your own family’s story you need birth records and parish registers.
Is the Nicastro surname noble?
The surname itself is not a sign of nobility. A Nicastro family with noble titles, among them Baron of Lago, lived in Sicily and is recorded in Chiaramonte Gulfi. Most Nicastros, though, come from ordinary families.
Is there a Nicastro family coat of arms?
The arms of the noble Sicilian family belonged to that house alone. No single coat of arms belongs to every Nicastro.
What is nicastrin?
It is a protein in the human body studied in Alzheimer’s research. It carries the name Nicastro because the research began with a large family from the town, whose parish registers were crucial.
