Casella
An Italian surname that likely began as a nickname or place-based name, ultimately tied to the idea of a small house or hut.
The #8,653 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 81,313 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Casella is an Italian surname built on the word casa, meaning "house," with the diminutive suffix -ella. In literal terms, it can mean "little house" or "small dwelling." As a surname, it may have referred either to someone who lived by a small house, worked in or owned a modest property, or came from a place called Casella.
History
The name is strongly associated with Italy and appears in several regions there, especially in northern and central areas where surnames from local place names are common. It also spread to the Americas through Italian migration in the 19th and 20th centuries. Because it can function both as a habitational surname and as a nickname for a person connected with a house or cottage, its exact origin often depends on the family line.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Casella is also a common place name in Italy, which makes the surname especially likely to have multiple independent origins.