The surname López is very common in Spain (it is one of the five most frequent), and in Latin American countries. In fact, surely if you stop to think, you know more than one person who carries it in their name as a first or second surname. There are several theories that circulate about the origin of this surname, however, one of them is given more veracity than the others: it is the theory that explains that the surname López began to be used in ancient Rome under the stage of the Roman domination.
But regardless of the origin that is taken into account, what is clear is that its meaning does not vary. From a HOWTO, we reveal the meaning and origin of the surname López so that you know where it comes from and how it has been defined throughout history.
The origin of the surname López
As we have commented previously, there are several theories about the origin of the Lopez surname. The one that sounds the loudest and is believed to be the true one is the one that links the beginning of its use with the stage of Roman domination.
It all started with the arrival of the family called Lupos, of Patrician origin and coming from the queen Lupa or She-wolf, who resided in Galicia. It was precisely in this region where it is believed that the oldest known branch of the origin of the López surname originated and that, later, it spread to Andalusia and the rest of the Iberian Peninsula. However, to have the first documented proof of the existence of the surname López, we must wait until the date of the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, which took place in 1212. In this battle (represented in the image below) and in others such as the Battle of Salado, the first knights and citizens known by the surname López appear.
And how did this surname get to Latin America? The expansion of the López surname was made, above all, through wars and the conquest of several Latin American territories by Spain.
In history, there are some famous Lópezes recorded as the gentleman Jerónimo López, distinguished by Carlos I with the Encomienda de Tacuba, and named first councilor and, later, Secretary of the Interior. In fact, it is believed that this gentleman was the origin of the surname López in Mexico.
Meaning of the name López
The meaning of the last name López is clearer because there is no evidence of different meanings depending on its origin. And it is that this surname is patronymic; that is, it designates ancestry, filiation or lineage. In this case, the surname derives from the given name Lope, to which is added the ending “ez” widely used in the old Kingdom of Castile to indicate “son of“.
This is considered to be the only meaning of the López surname both in Spain and in Latin America where, as we have said, it later appeared.
The coat of arms of the surname López
The surname López, being patronymic, does not have a unique coat of arms. In fact, those that are used today do not come from a common origin and it is common, therefore, that different shields can be found that are used by people named López.
However, there are people who technically should not use any of the possible shields that are attributed to this surname, since to know if it is appropriate to use one shield or another, it is necessary to carry out a genealogical study.
In any case, it is generally considered that the coat of arms of the López family name is made up of a field of gules (bright red color) with thirteen gold bezants that evoke the ancient Byzantine gold coins, known as besants. There is evidence, in the same way, of other variations that incorporate elements added by different families:
- Wolf: in some shields this animal appears because Lope is linked with Lupus, which is wolf in Latin. For example, it appears in the shield of the Guipúzcoa, in which you can see a golden blazon with a wolf with a saber and sole of gules. Also in Asturias the wolf is used with a saber lined with a silver blazon.
- León: this animal is the one that appears on the Valencian López coat of arms. In this case, it is divided into two parts, making this division with a saber band. On each side, there is the lion.
- Purple tower: this element appears on the coat of arms of the Aragon family. It is located on a field of gold and, around the coat of arms, are the silver borders with eight azure shields and a gold stripe placed diagonally.
With these explanations about the meaning and origin of the surname López, from UNCOMO we hope we have helped you learn more about this common surname. If this information has been interesting to you, you may want to take a look at the following article:
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