De Palma Surname in Italy

The surname De Palma is predominantly found in Southern Italy, mainly in Apulia, Campania (especially in the Naples, Benevento, and Avellino areas), and Basilicata (Potenza), with a notable cluster also present in the province of Rome. In Apulia, significant families reside in towns like Giovinazzo and Bitonto. The name likely originates either from the toponym Palma Campania near Naples or from the medieval personal name Palma, probably linked to an ancestor. The particle 'De-' indicates a patronymic meaning 'son of Palma.' Variants such as Depalma appear mostly in Apulia and Lazio without presence in Sardinia, while De Palmas and Depalmas are characteristic of Sardinia, localized in several towns including Sassari, Porto Torres, Posada, Lodè, and Sedilo, often connected to Sardinian place names. These Sardinian forms reflect a distinct origin tied to local geography.