Spano
An Italian surname most often linked to a nickname for a person with fair or blond hair, or sometimes to regional roots in southern Italy.
The #7,315 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,693 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Spano is usually explained as an Italian surname built on the adjective 'spano' or related forms meaning 'blond,' 'fair,' or 'light-haired,' ultimately from Greek and medieval southern Italian usage. In some cases it may also reflect a shortened or altered form of a Greek-derived nickname or place-based family name from areas where Greek and Italian traditions overlapped. The literal sense is therefore usually something like 'the fair one' or 'the blond-haired one.'
History
The surname is especially associated with southern Italy, including regions with long Greek cultural influence such as Calabria and Sicily. Like many Italian surnames, it likely began as a nickname and then became hereditary over time. In modern usage it appears both in Italy and in Italian diaspora communities, especially in the United States and Australia.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Italian surnames that sound simple can hide very old layers of contact between Latin, Greek, and local dialects in the Mediterranean south.