Surname Lopez - Meaning and Origin

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S. Lopez

Lopez: What does the surname Lopez mean?

The last name Lopez is of Spanish origin, derived from the Latin word "Lupus," meaning "wolf". This surname typically follows a patronymic naming system, where a man named Lope would name his son Lopez, meaning "son of Lope." The usage of this surname became widespread around Spain during the Middle Ages and later spread to Latin America and other Spanish colonies during the era of exploration. It is currently one of the most common surnames in Spain and Latin America. The cultural significance of the surname is linked with characteristics associated with wolves, such as courage, strength, loyalty, and cunning, traits highly esteemed in the societies that originally used this surname. Variations of the name can be found in other languages, such as Lupo in Italian and Loup in French.

Lopez: Where does the name Lopez come from?

The surname Lopez originates from Spain, specifically from the ancient Kingdom of Castile, and is a patronymic form of the popular Spanish name, Lope, meaning 'wolf'. The "-ez" at the end signifies "son of", therefore Lopez can be interpreted as "son of Lope".

Today, Lopez is widespread, ranked as the 21st most common name in Spain. It is also commonly found in Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America because of its diffusion during the Spanish colonial era. Mexico, in particular, has one of the highest prevalences of this surname. In the United States, the rapid growth of the Hispanic population has made Lopez one of the most frequent surnames, with a position in the top 25 most common according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Some well-known individuals with this surname include international celebrities like actress/singer Jennifer Lopez and comedian George Lopez, further bolstering its recognition.

Variations of the surname Lopez

The surname Lopez originates from Spain and has several variations, spellings and related surnames due to linguistic, regional differences and alteration over time.

Variations of Lopez may include Lopes, Lopaz, and Lopez de. The "z" at the end of Lopez can be changed with "s" to become Lopes in Portuguese-speaking regions. It's also possible to find it with a diacritic mark over the "o", becoming Lopéz, predominantly in Spanish-speaking regions.

Similarly, it has also been found with the suffix of de, as in Lopez de, which translates to "of" or "from" to indicate a geographical or familial origin.

Other related surnames that may share the same origin with Lopez include Alonso and González, which also utilize the "-ez" suffix used commonly in Spanish and Portuguese surnames.

However, it should be noted that spelling variations may not always signify same origin. Spelling variations often occurred because Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, causing many different variations of the same name. Therefore, the existence of a name's variant does not necessarily mean they share the same origin or lineage.

Famous people with the name Lopez

• Jennifer Lopez: Singer, actress, and producer
• Mario Lopez: Actor
• George Lopez: Actor, comedian
• Emilio Estevez Lopez: Actor
• Joaquin Phoenix: Actor
• Kacey Musgraves: Singer
• Benny Lopez: Singer
• Selena Gomez: Singer and actress
• Marc Anthony: Singer
• America Ferrera: Actress
• Kate del Castillo: Actress
• Vanessa Lopez: Singer
• Cristian Lopez: Pop Singer
• Wilmer Valderrama: Actor
• Rafael Lopez: Illustrator
• Mark Lopez: Electronic Musician
• Vicente Lopez: Classical Composer
• Christian Lopez: Singer/ Songwriter
• Christina Milian: Singer and Actress
• Eden Lopez: Musician

Other surnames

Lopes