Falla Family History

Spanish and Catalan ((de) Falla): probably a nickname from Catalan falla ‘torch’ or ‘bonfire’ (in particular one which was lit in the streets of a city on public festivals), or an occupational name for one who lit such a bonfire.Spanish: perhaps a nickname from falla ‘flaw’, ‘error’, ‘doubt’ (Latin falla). Scottish: habitational name from any of various places named Falla, Fala, or Fallaw, especially Fala in Midlothian. The second element is probably law ‘hill’. Norwegian: habitational name from a farm so named in southeastern Norway, so named from fall ‘fall’, probably with reference to the site of a landside or to tree felling.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press