Ruffo/Ruffa/LaRuffa -- Calabrese surnames

[Domini1972]

Hello -- I am trying to work-out the relationship among these surnames. Obviously there is the high aristocratic family Ruffo di Calabria But there are also in Calabria, especially in Vibo Valentia, such surnames as Ruffa and LaRuffa. Does anybody here know the history of these names, how one name derived from the other, if at all? -- Thanks!

[PeterTimber]

Ruffo is the base surname for all the variations: Ruffi,Ruffolo,Ruffoli,Rujolo which is spread out thruout Southern Italy. Other surnames are alterations of the variations. The surname stems from the first names Ruffo, Ruffolo, Rufus and Ruffolus.The roman sjurname RUFUS stemming from latin Ruber (red head,beard ) and the last name Ruffo stems from the Great Calabrese family who arrived in Southern Italy with the French Normans(Normanni). The base surname Ruffo is listed in the Italian surname dictionary.
There are several family crests located in http://www.stemmario.it under the Ruffo base surname. Peter

[PeterTimber]

Actually some written history about the Ruffo titled surname (Calabria) maybe helpful if you can read Italian or someone you know can translate the family history for you since it is the base surname for the family and identifies that family's crest. http://www.nobili-napoletani.it/Ruffo_Calabria.htm

There are several branches of this titled family with their respective names as well. Peter