Gagliano
An Italian surname most likely tied to a place name, originally identifying someone from or near a settlement called Gagliano.
The #7,954 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 74,200 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Gagliano is an Italian surname formed from a place name, most famously found in several towns and villages in southern Italy. Such surnames usually began as labels for someone who came from that locality. The place-name itself is generally traced back through late Latin and earlier regional forms, but its exact earliest root is not entirely secure.
History
The surname is especially associated with southern Italy, where many surnames developed from village or town names. It would have spread as people moved away from their home place and were identified by their origin. Italian emigration in the 19th and 20th centuries carried the name to the Americas and other parts of the world.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Several Italian surnames work this way: a family name can preserve the memory of a hometown long after the family has moved away.