Culpo

Culpo may refer to a surname of Italian origin or to a Latin verb form. The name is encountered in Italian communities and among their descendants, including in the United States. Its exact etymology is not definitively documented; some explanations link it to the Latin culpa, meaning fault or blame, but this connection is not universally accepted and may reflect later interpretations rather than a single shared origin.

In Latin, culpo is the first-person singular present active indicative of culpare, meaning I blame. It is part of the first conjugation verb group, with related forms such as culpāre, culpāvī, and culpātum. The Latin noun culpa itself denotes fault or blame, and its descendants appear in English in words such as culpable, culpability, and culprit.

Notable people with the surname Culpo include Olivia Culpo (born 1992), an American model and actress who won Miss Universe in 2012. Her public profile has contributed to the surname’s recognition beyond Italian communities, particularly in the United States.

Beyond these uses, Culpo is relatively uncommon as a surname outside its regional or diaspora contexts. The term also appears in Latin literature and linguistic studies as an example of a verb form and as part of discussions about the root culpa and its derivatives.