# Zurlo

Zurlo is an Italian surname.

## Variations

Zurulo, Zurolo, Zullo and others.

## Geographical distribution

As of 2014, among all known bearers of the surname "Zurolo" there were residents in various countries as follows: Italy (frequency 1:55,902), of United States of America (frequency 1:567,228), of Argentina (frequency 1:87,054), of Brazil (frequency 1:891,976), of Germany (frequency 1:1,518,971), of France (frequency 1:1,509,607), of Belgium (frequency 1:338,137), of Turkey (frequency 1:2,358,225), of Switzerland (frequency 1:315,881) and Uruguay (frequency 1:285,980).

## Origins and diffusion

The surnames Zurolo could be of Greek origin and subsequently Italianised.
Zurolo, as the original toponym of a fortified town (formerly a Roman colony in Thrace), today Çorlu (Turkia). Çorlu, formerly Syrallo-Tzurulos (Zurulo-Zurolo), a locality in the province of Tekirdağ in Turkey.
The first known document where the surname of the noble Zurolo family (also called Zurlo in this document and in others) appears transcribed is an Italian will from 1369.
The nation that has the most people with the surname Zurolo (the ancient form) and Zurlo (the derived form) remains Italy, in second place for diffusion is the United States of America.
Zurolo is the archaic form of the surname Zurlo, it is very widespread in Castellammare di Stabia and in the Neapolitan hinterland area. It seems that the surname is very frequent in southern Italy, however, it also has a strain in the Padua area.
Zurlo is present in Calabria, Campania, Lucania, Molise and Puglia (Brindisi, Lecce, Taranto).
Zullo is widespread in Abruzzo, Calabria, Campania, Lombardy, Molise and Puglia (Brindisi, Lecce, Taranto), with another branch in Sicily, in the Messina area. Another strain of the same (Zurolo) is present in the US (Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Wisconsin).

## Meaning

The surname Zurolo and its derivation Zurlo could derive from modifications of the Greek name Ζωή (Zoe).
Zurlo certainly originates from the Greek 'zurlos' = crazy.
S. m. [prob., dialect variant of girlo]. – In the Venetian dialect, spinning top; fig., person of little brain, or reckless, escaped (with these uses fig., also to the feminine zurla).
żurlo s. m. [der. di żurlare], tosc. ant. – Ruzzo, allegria vivace e chiassosa, voglia di scherzare, e sim.

## People

Notable people with the surname include:
* Giovanni Zurolo – also called Giovanni Zurlo (*1382 †1440), count, feudal lord and Useful Lord, of the Terra d'Angri, of Roccapiemonte and of other lands of the Kingdom of Naples; already a valiant leader;
* Francesco Zurolo – also called Francesco Zurulo or Francesco Zurlo, (b. first half of the 15th century – d. Otranto, 11 August 1480), baron of Oppido Lucano and feudal lord of Pietragalla and Casalaspro;
* Caterina Zurolo – (†1500), baroness and feudal lady of Otranto, Casalaspro and Pietragalla, and other lands of the Kingdom;
* Francesco Zurolo, also known as Francesco Zurlo, messer Francesco Zurolo (*1447 †1505) was a judge of the Italian knights during the events of the Challenge of Barletta on 13 February 1503.
* Giuseppe Capece Zurlo (1711–1801), Italian Cardinal who served as Archbishop of Naples.
* Federico Zurlo (born 1994), Italian cyclist.

## Also

* Vico and Vicoletto of the Zuroli