Where the Scala surname comes from
In surnames the word scala, “stairs,” rarely means the household ladder. It almost always comes from a place: a town, a rural district, an uphill path made of steps. Anyone who left one of these places became “the one from the Scala,” and then simply Scala. There were many such places, and the surname was born many times, with no common founder. For some families in the North a Germanic root has been suggested, but it remains a theory.
From the mill to the government of Florence
In the 1400s the son of a Tuscan miller rose to the top of the Florentine Republic, under the protection of the Medici. He chose a motto that was perfect for a man named Scala. His daughter, meanwhile, was answering the greatest poet of her day in Greek. Their stories are in the PDF, along with that of the most famous theater in the world.
Where the Scalas live today
Scala is a surname found all over Italy, with many separate clusters from Veneto to Sicily. There are about 5,300 families, and its two hearts are in the South. The first is the area around Naples, where it’s the 49th most common surname in the province. The second is southeastern Sicily, between Catania, Syracuse and Ragusa. In Pozzallo, on the coast near Ragusa, it’s the second most common surname in town. The region-by-region map and the countries around the world they reached are in the PDF.
Variants
The same place name gave rise to several surnames: plurals, diminutives and the form with the preposition. The story of each one is in the PDF.
| Surname | Where it is concentrated |
|---|---|
| Scala | Campania, Sicily, Lombardy |
| Scali | Tuscany, Calabria, Piedmont |
| Scalera | Apulia, Campania, Lazio |
| Scaletta | Sicily, Piedmont, Lazio |
| Della Scala | Tuscany, Liguria, Lazio |
FAQ
What does the surname Scala mean?
It almost always comes from a place called Scala: a town, a rural district or a stepped climb. Anyone who left from there became “the one from the Scala,” and the nickname passed to the children.
Is Scala a surname from Campania or from Sicily?
Both. The region where it’s most common is Campania, especially the area around Naples. Right after comes southeastern Sicily, with Pozzallo, where it’s the second most common surname. There are also clusters in the North, around Verona, Lodi, Genoa and Bologna.
Are Scala and Scali the same surname?
They’re cousins. Until the 1800s the surname was written down by whoever kept the register, and in two records of the same family a letter can change. If you’re looking for your ancestors, always search every form.
Are the Scalas related to the Della Scala family of Verona?
Almost certainly not. The Della Scala, or Scaligeri, were a single family, whose rule over Verona ended in the late 1300s. Today’s Scala surname was born in many different places and from many different families.
Are all Scalas related?
No. There were a great many places called Scala, and the surname was born many times with no common founder. To trace your own story you need birth records and parish registers.
Is the Scala surname noble?
The surname itself is not a sign of nobility. A few Scala families held titles, like a baron of Messina in the 1700s, but almost all of them were families of farmers, fishermen and craftsmen.
Is there a Scala family coat of arms?
Some families with this name had a coat of arms, like the Scaligeri of Verona or Bartolomeo Scala in Florence. Each one belonged only to that family. There is no coat of arms that belongs to all Scalas.
