Recorded in many forms including Eschelle, Echelle, Deeschelle (French), Scala and Scalera (Italian), and Escala, Escalera, and Escalante (Spanish), this is a very interesting and aristocratic surname. However spelt it is of Roman (Latin) pre 4th century a.d. origins, and derives from the word 'scandere' meaning 'to climb'. Various directories suggest that the name was originally topographical for a person who lived in a village or house on a terraced slope, or one where the entry was by an outside ladder.
Another suggestion is that the name was occupational and referred to a maker or seller of ladders, whilst a further suggestion is that it is a nickname for the only person in a village who possessed a ladder! Our opinion is that it is, or rather was, sometimes at least, a military term for a soldier who was responsible for the scaling ladders, which paid such a major part in all warfare in the ancient times before the use of firearms. This would seem to be confirmed by the coat of arms as recorded below, since this was granted for military deeds. Examples of the surname recording include Giovanni de la Scala, of Verona, Italy, a christening witness there on July 1st 1574, Juan de Escalante, who married Maria del Rio, at Santa Maria Magdalena, Valladolid, Spain on June 26th 1598, and Luis Echelle, christened at Notre Dame de L'esviers, Angers, France on June 4th 1737. The coat of arms granted in Spain, has the blazon of a red field, a gold ladder, bendwise. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roland Deeschelle, which was dated 1476, in the charters of the city of Lyon, France, during the reign of King Louis X1, of France, 1461 - 1483. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
It should derive from the various toponyms containing the root scala, such as: Isola della Scala (VR), La Scala (PI), Madonna della Scala (TO), Santa Maria La Scala (NA), Scala (ME)-(SA)-( CS), etc.
The surname Scala is pan-Italian, with many nuclei, in the Verona area, in the south of Milan and in the Lodi area, in the Genoese area, in the Bolognese area, in the Neapolitan area and, in Sicily, in the Catania area, Syracuse area and Ragusa area.
Della Scala has some presence in Tuscany and Liguria.
Scalas is Sardinian, typical of Cagliari.
Scalera has one lineage in Puglia and one in Campania.
Scalero is almost unique.
Scali has one Tuscan lineage and one in the province of Reggio Calabria.
Scalini is present in the Florentine, Emilia Romagna and Marche regions.
Scalella is from the central south.
Scaletta has Sicilian stock.
Scaletti is mostly concentrated in Tuscany.
Research into the possible origins of scala leads us to learn more about those who bear this surname.
There is a considerable probability that scala has crossed the borders of its place of origin to establish itself, to a greater or lesser extent, in other parts of the world. With all the information we have today, it can be said that the countries where scala is most abundant are the following.
The deeds, the way of life, the places they lived, the family relationships they had, the jobs they held by those who were the first to be named scala are found in every look back in the history of this lineage.
It is common for genealogy and surname enthusiasts to provide us with information of special value, so the data we offer about the origins of scala could be modified.
We assume that there have been significant contributions to humanity made by individuals with the surname scala, even though not all have been documented to our present day.
The bibliography collects information related to the surname scala, which allows us to learn more about its meaning.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of scala, and at the same time, of surnames in general.