catalano

Catalano is an Italian surname meaning "Catalan" or "from Catalonia," derived from the ethnonym Catalanus in Latin. The name most likely originated as a designation for someone of Catalan origin or with ties to Catalonia, later becoming a hereditary family name as surnames stabilized in medieval Italy. In Italy, Catalano is especially common in the south and in Sicily, but it occurs throughout the country.

The surname has spread internationally through Italian emigration from the 19th century onward. Today it is found in the Americas, Europe, Australia, and elsewhere, often retaining its original form though it may be adapted to local orthography in some communities.

Notable people bearing Catalano include individuals across politics, culture, science, and sports, reflecting the surname's broad geographic and social distribution. In literature and media, Catalano is used as a plausible Italian surname for fictional characters, reinforcing its recognizability in Italian-speaking contexts.

See also: Catalan (disambiguation) and Catalani, a related Italian surname.