Where the Vitello surname comes from
Vitello most likely comes from the Latin name Vitellius, that of an ancient Roman family. Inside that name, in turn, there’s a farm animal: vitulus, the calf. In farming life a calf was a treasure. Whether the surname comes from the Roman name or straight from the word, the calf is always behind it.
An emperor and a scientist
The Vitellius family gave Rome an emperor, in one of the most turbulent years of its history. Even back then, two different stories went around about the family’s name. In the 1200s, in Italy, another Vitello studied light, and even Kepler read his books. Their stories are in the PDF.
Where the Vitellos live today
Vitello is a Sicilian surname. There are about 380 families in Italy, and most live between Agrigento and Caltanissetta. In the heart of the island there’s a town where it’s among the top twenty surnames: Milena, in the province of Caltanissetta. The families in Piedmont and Lombardy come from the emigration of the 1900s to the factories of the North. Outside Italy there are more Vitellos than in Italy. The region-by-region map and the countries around the world they reached are in the PDF.
Variants
The same name has three forms: one in Sicily, one in Campania and a plural one in central Italy. The PDF explains where each one comes from.
| Surname | Where it is concentrated |
|---|---|
| Vitello | Sicily, Piedmont, Lombardy |
| Vitiello | Campania, Lazio, Lombardy |
| Vitelli | Lazio, Campania, Abruzzo |
FAQ
What does the surname Vitello mean?
It most likely comes from the Roman name Vitellius, which in turn comes from the Latin vitulus, “calf.” In farming life a calf was a treasure.
Is Vitello a Sicilian surname?
Yes. Most of the families live in Sicily, especially between Agrigento and Caltanissetta. Those in Piedmont and Lombardy arrived with the emigration of the 1900s.
Are Vitello and Vitiello the same surname?
They’re cousins. Vitiello, with an “i” in the middle, is the form from Campania and is much more common; it comes from the Latin name Vitus or from the word vitulus. In old registers the same family may appear as Vitello, Vitelli or Vitiello.
Are all Vitellos related?
No. A surname like this may have been born more than once, even though many families come from the same part of Sicily. To trace your own story you need birth records and parish registers.
Is the Vitello surname noble?
The surname itself is not a sign of nobility. It comes from a personal name, and almost no Vitello family ever had a coat of arms.
Is there a Vitello family coat of arms?
There is no coat of arms that belongs to all Vitellos. If a Vitello family from Agrigento or Caltanissetta had a coat of arms, it was its own, tied to that branch and that place.
