Cariaga is a surname of Italian origin. It is most common in the southern regions of Italy, particularly in the provinces of Sicily and Calabria. It is believed to derive from the medieval Latin word "cariaga" meaning "carriage". This suggests that the surname may have originally referred to someone who made or drove carriages. Other theories suggest that the name may have been derived from the Latin word "carica" meaning "load", or the Greek word "kairos" meaning "opportune time".