Maltese Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Maltese last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Maltese last name
Meaning of the Maltese last name: from Malta. Maltese is an Italian surname meaning "from Malta", for a family that came from the island or traded with it. It is common in Sicily, Calabria and Apulia, the parts of Italy closest to Malta. Related last names include Maltesi and Malta, and the name also spread with emigrants to America.
Arms associated with the Maltese name
Italian coats of arms are often drawn on an oval shield, and the heraldry associated with the Maltese surname follows that style.
Get your full Maltese family history
This is only a glimpse of the Maltese story. The full Maltese history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Maltese coat of arms. Get the full Maltese report.
Maltese name FAQ
What does the Maltese name mean?
From Malta. Common variants include Maltesi, Malta.
Where does the Maltese surname come from?
It originates in Italy, and is also found in the United States, Argentina and Switzerland.
Is there a Maltese coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Maltese coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: De Felice, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani; Caffarelli & Marcato, I cognomi d'Italia.