CASELLA

Casella is a surname of Italian origin, originating from the Italian word casella, meaning a small house or cottage. The name is a topographic surname, typically given to someone who lived near or owned a modest dwelling, or, in some cases, used as a nickname for a person of small stature or a person living in a modest home.

The surname has Roman pre‑Christian roots and appears in an astonishing eighty forms, including Casa, Caso, Dell Casa, Casillis, Dalla, Dacca, Casetti, Cason, and Casaccio. Such variations illustrate its status as a residential surname for a resident of a manor house or a residence considered distinguished within a town or village. As was common with this type of surname, the name was often bestowed upon individuals by neighbours when they migrated from one village or homestead to another, thereby serving as an identifying reference to their former dwelling.

Casella bears connections with aristocracy, most notably the Counts of Casillis, who were members of Spanish nobility. The coat of arms associated with the name is blazoned with a silver field, a red chevron between three red cross‑crosslets, surrounded by a red border.

The surname is most prevalent in Europe, particularly in Italy where over 29,000 people bear the name. It is also common in Italian‑speaking regions such as Switzerland, Sicily, and the Vatican City. In the United States the surname is held by more than 600 individuals, the largest share residing in Florida. In South America the name appears in Brazil and Argentina in comparatively small numbers. The surname is also found in Africa and Asia, being most common in North African countries such as Tunisia and Morocco; in Asia its distribution is sparse, occurring in Chinese, Indian, and Lebanese communities.

Variants of the surname are largely geographic and include Casale, Casalino, Casali, Casal, Caselle, Caselletto, Casello, and Cassio. These forms often denote a particular region, profession, or place of origin. For example, Caselle can imply a farm affiliation, while Casanti points to proximity to storage areas. In Sicily one variant, Cassole, is linked to the Latin word cassia meaning chestnut, and may reference a landscape feature.

The origin of Casella can be traced back to the Late Latin word casella, itself derived from the Italian term casa meaning “house.” The root casa comes from the Latin casus meaning “divided” or “separated.” This derivation could refer to a geographical separation or to the division of a lineage from a particular village or region.

The earliest recorded spelling of the family name appears as Quitteria Casas, dated 19 February 1524 at Medina, Gerona, Spain, during the reign of King Phillip I of Spain, Emperor of Mexico (1516‑1556). Subsequent civil and religious registers contain further examples, such as Hernando de la Casas of San Estaban, Vizacaya, Spain, on 9 February 1573; Magdalena Casa of Olot, Gerona, Spain, on 27 November 1666; Guillermo Casillo at St Catarina, District Federal, Mexico, on 11 February 1759; Maria Marcela Casillis at St Cruz Y Soledad, Mexico, on 17 January 1786; Valentino Caso of Caserta, Italy, on 19 September 1848; and Antonio Robes Casillas at Los Angeles, California, on 28 January 1908.

Typical given names associated with the Casella surname

Male

• Carmelo
• Eric
• Graham
• Marco
• Sergio

Female

• Lucy

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Casella in...

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Region of origin: Europe

Country of origin: Italy

Language of origin: Italian

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