★ Rechtzeitig zum schönsten Geschenk des Jahres · Bestellen bis 30. Nov. (EU) · 8. Dez. (USA) · 9. Dez. (UK & Australien) · Alle Termine ›

Palma Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Palma last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Palma coat of arms for you.

Meaning and origin of the Palma last name

Meaning of the Palma last name: palm, from Palm Sunday, or from Palma. Palma comes from the word for a palm. It was often a name for a child born on Palm Sunday, or for a pilgrim who had brought a palm frond home from the Holy Land. The name is common in the south of Italy, and arose separately in Spain. A curious detail: the Venetian painter Palma il Vecchio was a famous bearer.

Arms associated with the Palma name

In Italian heraldry, families from the same town often chose shields that echoed their city's colours, and many Palma families followed that habit.

Get your full Palma family history

This is only a glimpse of the Palma story. The full Palma 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 Palma coat of arms. Get the full Palma report.

Palma name FAQ

What does the Palma name mean?

Palm, from Palm Sunday, or from Palma. Common variants include Palmieri, Palmi, Palmisano.

Where does the Palma surname come from?

It originates in Italy, and is also found in Spain, Argentina and the United States.

Is there a Palma coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Palma coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: De Felice, Dizionario dei cognomi italiani; Caffarelli & Marcato, I cognomi d'Italia.