caratello

Caratello is an Italian surname that originates from the medieval personal name Caratallo, itself derived from the Latin *carat*, meaning “precious stone” or “gem.” The name was likely a nickname for a person characterized by an outstanding or valuable quality, analogous to the use of gemstone names in medieval Europe. The surname is most commonly found in the southern regions of Italy, especially in Calabria and Sicily, where it was recorded in parish registers as early as the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many people bearing the name Caratello emigrated to the United States, Argentina, and Brazil. In the United States, census records show a concentration of Caratellos in the northeastern states, particularly New York and New Jersey, where they often settled in immigrant communities. In Argentina, the name appeared among early Italian settlers in the interior provinces, while in Brazil it is mainly found in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Notable individuals with this surname include Antonio Caratello (1934‑2013), an Italian footballer who played as a midfielder for the national team in the 1960s; Maria Caratello (born 1985), an American stage actress known for her roles in regional theatre productions; and Giulia Caratello (born 1977), a Swiss biologist whose research focuses on marine phytoplankton ecology. In literature, the fictional detective Carlo Caratello appears in the series of crime novels written by author Lorenzo Gagliani, set in the postwar Italian countryside.

The surname Caratello shares variants such as Caratallo, Caratelli, and Caratello‑Fernandez in diaspora communities, reflecting regional linguistic adaptations and immigration patterns.