What are the origins of the surname SCALISI ???

Question

I know that SCALISI is the Sicilian variant, and that SCALISE, SCALESI and SCALESE are the variants found in Calabria and Puglia.

I have also found this surname in a book of Italian surnames that stated that SCALISI means "worm" in some language. Unfortunately I can't remember the language.

Also, the surname SCALISI is listed in a book of Sicilian surnames by the Centro di Studi Filologici e Linguistici Siciliani. I found it recently while in a book store in Sicily, but was rushed and unable to decipher the entire meaning. But I did see that it listed the name of a person, possibly the first known use of the surname. It was written in Greek, precisely as the following: νικολαυ σκαλοισι (nikolau skaloisi), that is Nicholas Scalisi.

Given it's prevalence in Eastern Sicily, Calabria and Puglia, I believe it has Greek origins, as confirmed in the above book. But I'd like to know for sure, and even more detail about it.

Answer 1

You really seem to have answered your own question but, here is what I found;

Southern Italian variant of SCALESE

Answer 2

This is what www.ancestry.com has to say about the name.

Scalisi Name Meaning and History

Southern Italian: variant of Scalese.

hope this helps.