Palumbo
An Italian surname meaning “pigeon” or “dove,” originally a nickname or descriptive byname.
The #3,285 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 28,055 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Palumbo comes from the Italian word for a pigeon or dove. That word goes back to Latin palumbus, meaning “dove” or “wood pigeon,” and was used as a nickname for someone thought to resemble the bird or perhaps for a gentle, peaceable person. In some cases it may also have been applied as a house sign or other descriptive label before becoming hereditary.
History
The surname is especially associated with southern Italy, though it is found more widely in Italian-speaking communities. Historical references show it in medieval usage as a personal byname and later as a family surname. It also traveled abroad with Italian migration, which is why it appears in the United States today.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same Latin root behind Palumbo also lies behind words for “dove” and “pigeon” in several Romance languages.
From the historical record
“(oc). Palumbo. Pigeon (Ital.). Palun. Marais (oc). Palyart. Voy. Paillard.”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)