Romeo Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Romeo last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Romeo last name
Meaning of the Romeo last name: pilgrim to Rome. Romeo comes from the medieval personal name Romeo, originally the Italian word romeo, from Greek Rhōmaios, "Roman", used in the Byzantine south for people of the empire. It is most common in Calabria, Sicily and Campania, with a further cluster in Abruzzo. Shakespeare's Romeo, taken from an Italian story set in Verona, made the name famous worldwide, though the surname is mostly southern. In medieval Italian, romeo was the usual word for a pilgrim to Rome, as palmiere was for a pilgrim to the Holy Land, and Dante uses it in this sense. Related surnames include Romei and the Catalan Romeu. Romeo families emigrated to the United States, Argentina and Australia.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Romeo name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Romeo name in Italy. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Argentina and Venezuela; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Your full Romeo pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Romeo coat of arms for you.
Romeo name FAQ
What does the Romeo name mean?
Pilgrim to Rome. Common variants include Romei, Romio, Di Romeo.
Where does the Romeo surname come from?
It originates in Italy, and is also found in the United States, Argentina and Venezuela.
Is there a Romeo coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Romeo crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Romeo coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: De Felice, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani; Caffarelli & Marcato, I cognomi d'Italia.