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The paragraph translated (from the Spanish, because of "gentilicio" -in Catalan it is "gentilici"-) correspond to Abellà, with an accent over the A (uh-buh-LLAH, in Catalan), not to Abella (uh-BEH-lluh, in Catalan).

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Abella, in Catalan, is only "bee", derived from the Latin apicula. As a surname, it comes from the place name Abella (there are four villages named Abella in Catalan speaking area), derived from the word abella.

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Abellà and Avellà (the sound is the same) are variants of a Catalan surname. The surname comes from the place name L'Avellà. Some etymologies are been enunciated:
a) from avellana ("hazel").
b) from abellar ("apiary").
c) from the Latin patronymic Abilius or Abelius with a derivative suffix -anus.

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Joan Coromines consideres the three theories:
1) The presence of the article in the toponyme (L'Avellà) leaves out the theory C.
2)The Mediaeval documents, with a clear distinction of B/V and -AR/-À leaves out the theory B.
Then, the more possible etymology is the theory A (from "avellana").

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The Latin name Abilius can be a variant of the Latin nomen Avilius, from Avius, and this from avus, "grandfather", or can be an alteration of the nomen Abellius, gentilice of the ancient town of Abella (Campania).
The relation of Abilius with the latin habilis, proposed by some authors (see Consuelo García Gallarín, Los nombres de pila españoles) is considered only a popular etymology by others (see Roberto Faure, Diccionario de nombres propios).

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Lumia
http://onomastica.mailcatala.com

This message was edited 7/24/2005, 9:48 AM