Melia is a family name that may originate in the
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, mainly comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and parts of Southern Russia. The Caucasus Mountains, including the Greater Caucasus range, have historically ...
state of
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
(
Georgian
Georgian may refer to:
Common meanings
* Anything related to, or originating from Georgia (country)
** Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group
** Georgian language, a Kartvelian language spoken by Georgians
**Georgian scripts, three scrip ...
: მელია), in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
, or in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. Melia Bergamin. The Georgian name is believed to be derived from the word ''melia'' (sometimes ''mela''), meaning "
fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
". Names derived from ''Melia'' are ''Meliava'', ''Meliva'', ''Melua'', ''Meluava'' or ''Meladze''. The Italian history may date back to early Rome. The Irish origins may be via alterations to the name O'Maille or O'Malley.
Notable people with the surname Melia or Meliá include:
*
Aoife Melia
Eoghan McDermott (born 15 April 1983) is an Irish television and radio presenter.
He most recently presented ''The RTÉ 2fm Breakfast Show'' on radio and has hosted ''The Voice of Ireland'' and Ireland's Junior Eurovision Song Contest selectio ...
, Irish medical doctor
*
Careena Melia
Careena Melia is an Irish-American actress.
Early life and education
Melia was born in Galway, Ireland and moved to Massachusetts when she was five years old. A student of ballet, she trained at Walnut Hill School, Boston Ballet, the Central ...
, Irish-American actress
*
Cian Melia
Cian Melia is an Irish showjumper. A native of Claregalway, he has participated in the Galway County Show, where he and his horse, Bungowla Pressure, won the Riverview class. Along with Michael Duffy and Kate MacDonagh he has represented Irela ...
, Irish showjumper
*
Elie Melia
Fr. Elie Melia ( ka, ილია მელია, french: Élie Mélia) (20 February 1915 – 15 March 1988) was a Georgian Orthodox priest in France and church historian.
Born in Kutaisi, he fled the Soviet regime to Western Europe with his bro ...
(1915–1988), lived in Belgium and then in France; priest and historian of the Georgian Orthodox Church
*
Fulvio Melia
Fulvio Melia (born 2 August 1956) is an Italian-American astrophysicist, cosmologist and author. He is professor of physics, astronomy and the applied math program at the University of Arizona and was a scientific editor of ''The Astrophysical J ...
(b. 1956), Italian-American astrophysicist, cosmologist and author
*
Jimmy Melia
James Melia (born 1 November 1937) is an English former footballer who spent most of his career playing for Liverpool and went on to become a manager.
Playing career
Liverpool
Melia joined the Reds straight from St. Anthony's School as a 15- ...
(born 1937), English footballer
*
Joe Melia
Joe Melia ( Giovanni Philip William Melia;
23 January 1935, Camden Town, Camden, London - 20 October 2012, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire) was a UK, British actor.
Educated at the City of Leicester College, City of Leicester Boys' Grammar Sch ...
(1935–2012), British television and film actor
*
Leslie Melia (1929–1997), Canadian sprint canoer at the 1956 Olympics
*
Michael Melia
Michael Melia (born 1945) is a British actor best known for his work on television. He appeared as Queen Vic landlord Eddie Royle in BBC One soap opera EastEnders between 1990 and 1991.
Early life
Melia was born in Berkshire and attended St Mar ...
(b. 1945), British actor
*
Nika Melia Nika may refer to:
Surname
* Ansi Nika (born 1990), Albanian footballer
* Lelo Nika (born 1969), Serbian and Romanian Romani accordionist
* Rakitina Nika, pen name of science fiction and fantasy writer Ludmila Bogdanova (born 1963)
Other uses
* ' ...
(born 1979), Georgian politician
*
Pius Melia (1800–1883), Italian Jesuit theologian
*
(born 1987), Georgian chess player
*
Salvador Meliá (born 1977), Spanish track cyclist at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics
*
Thomas O. Melia (born 1957), American advocate for human rights and democracy
*
Tim Melia
Timothy Melia (; born May 15, 1986) is an American professional Association football, soccer player who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City.
Youth and college
Melia was born i ...
(b. 1986), American soccer player
See also
*
Melua, a surname
References
{{Surnames
Georgian-language surnames