Castellano
A surname meaning “Castilian” or “someone from Castile.”
The #3,212 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 27,473 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Castellano comes from Spanish castellano, meaning a person from Castile or, more broadly, a Castilian. The word ultimately goes back to Latin Castella/Castellum, the name for Castile, with the sense of “of Castile” or “belonging to Castile.” In surname use, it functioned as an ethnic or regional byname for someone identified with that area or its speech.
History
This surname belongs to a large family of Spanish surnames formed from regional identities, much like Andaluz or Aragonés. The historical excerpts indicate that castellano was already recognized as a fixed surname form by the medieval period. It remains especially common in Spanish-speaking countries and in diaspora communities.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In Spanish, castellano can also mean the Spanish language itself, especially in contrast with other languages of Spain.
From the historical record
“sos octosílabos. Castellano. Idioma castellano. Moneda antigua de oro que corrió en España 1 ya no tiene uso. Castellar. Toda buena. Planta. Castellon. El campo donde hai o hubo castillo.”
— Diccionario de los apellidos