Surnames with ‘ez’ are not only common in Spainbut they also have a great cultural and social importance. These surnames, which include such well-known names as Fernández, González, Martínez and López, are a distinctive feature of Spanish onomastics.
They have been worn by highly relevant historical and contemporary figures, from kings and nobles to artists and athletes. These surnames with the ‘-ez’ suffix did not appear until the 12th century, but today, They are eight of the nine most common surnames.
Origin of surnames ending in ‘ez’
Although there is no absolute consensus, it seems that the suffix ‘ez’ could have its roots in the Visigothic erawhen the Visigoths, a Germanic people who settled in the Iberian Peninsula in the 5th century, introduced this suffix as a way of indicating affiliation. In the Germanic language of the Visigoths, It was used to indicate ‘son of’. Thus, a name like Fernández originally meant ‘son of Fernando’.
During the Middle Ages, the use of patronymic surnames (those derived from the father’s name) became common throughout Europe and also became a hereditary trait. In Spain, the adoption of surnames with the suffix ‘ez’ became a common practice.
This tradition was maintained and expanded with the Reconquista, when the Christian kingdoms in the north of the peninsula began to repopulate the reconquered lands in the south. Surnames with ‘ez’ spread widely, and became a feature of Spanish nomenclature.
Common examples
As we have already seen, the suffix ‘ez’ in Spanish surnames indicates descent. This is a pattern that It is repeated in many Spanish surnamesreflecting the importance of affiliation and inheritance in our culture.
- Álvarez: Son of Alvar
- Benítez: Son of Benito
- Domínguez: Son of Domingo
- Fernández: Son of Fernando
- González: Son of Gonzalo
- Gutiérrez: Son of Gutierre
- Hernández: Son of Hernando
- Jímenez: Son of Jimeno
- López: Son of Lope
- Márquez: Son of Marcos
- Martínez: Son of Martin
- Méndez: Son of Mendo
- Núñez: Son of Nuño
- Pérez: Son of Pedro
- Rodríguez: Son of Rodrigo
- Sánchez: Son of Sancho
- Vázquez: Son of Vasco
