Filipino Surnames Derived from Names of Plants and Animals

   

                  

As practiced in the Philippines, spouses pass the husband’s surname to their children, and the name will be carried by their descendants for generations. If there are more male descendants, the number of people carrying the name will increase and decrease if they are females because wives will carry the surname of their husbands.

Most surnames have meanings. They may refer to an ancestors’ places of origins or importance as in the case of topographic surnames or given names of ascendants in patronymic surnames. There are theoporic surnames which are derived from words of divine or spiritual connotations or names of Biblical or religious personalities and saints. There are surnames that describe persons’ occupations and there are others that are descriptive of one’s look such as being beautiful or having black hair or skin. It may also describe a person’s personality or character traits like being merciful or brave.

Although there are Filipino with Spanish ancestry, there are those who do not have any. For this reason, an adoptive Spanish surname may not always be a description of an ancestor’s physical looks, traits, and among other things.

Filipinos have surnames of Spanish and indigenous origins. Some of them are popular and are used by known personalities in different fields of endeavors, and there are others that are exceedingly rare. Other surnames are just mere Spanish or native words that refer to plants, animals and other things.

Following list are surnames derived from name plants like trees, their parts such as leaves, and branches. It also includes fruit, nuts and vegetables.

Arce- maple, Algodon- cotton, Almendras- almonds, Avellana/Abellana- hazelnut, Caňas- canes, Centeno- rye, Cerezo- cherry tree, Clavel- carnation, Flores- flowers, Granada- pomegranate, Hojas- leaves, Manzano- apple tree, Maravillas- marigolds, Mijos- millets, Naranjo- orange, Nuez- nut, Pacana- pecan, Palma- palm, Papa- a word that means pope or dad which can also refer to potato, Pepino- cucumber, Olivares- olive groves, Olivas- olives, Rama- branch, Ramas- branches, Repollo- cabbage, Roble- oak, Robles- oaks, Romero- rosemary, Rosal- rosebush, Rosales- rosebushes, Tabaco- tobacco, Trigo- wheat, Ubas- grapes

The list below is Spanish/Filipino surnames referring to mammals, fish, birds, and insects.

Aguilar- from the Spanish word “Aguila” which means eagle, Araňa- spider, Cabral- from the word “cabra” which means goat, Caracol- snail, Cordero- lamb, Ciervo-deer, Cuervo- raven, Delfin- dolphin, Gallo- rooster, Gamba- prawn, Lagarto- lizard, Llamas- llamas, Lobo- wolf, Lora- parrot, Pajaro-bird, Pajaron- big bird, Pajarillo- little bird, Pajarito- birdie or little bird, Pavo- turkey, Paloma- pigeon, Pinzon- finch, Piojo- louse, Pulga- flea, Mosquito- mosquito, Tortola- turtledove

Below is list of Filipino surnames of indigenous origins. They are native words for bird species, tree, fruits, root crops, insects, and crustacean.

Abucay- cockatoo, Bagacay- a type of bamboo, Balite- strangler fig, Bonjoc- flea, Bugas-rice, Cahoy- tree, Gabe- taro, Kalaw- hornbill, Langgam- bird in Cebuano, insect in Tagalog, Lomboy- duhat in Tagalog and Java plum in English, Lukban- pomelo, Posa- cat, Punay- Philippine pigeon, Puno- tree, Putian- swamp crab, Saguing- banana, Tamban- sardine, Tamsi- sunbird, Tocmo- zebra dove

The list above are mostly Spanish surnames or just mere Spanish or indigenous words for some objects. Generations of Filipino families have proudly carried those names and considered them Filipino regardless of their origins.  

 

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Filipino Surnames Describing Physical Appearance and Character Traits

 

Surnames are family identifiers. Generally, the surname of the father is passed on to his children, and the sons passed on the name to the succeeding generations. In the Philippines female descendants lost their surnames when they marry because they must carry their husbands’ surnames.  

There are types of surnames. A patronymic surname is derived from the name of a father or a male ancestor. Occupational surname is one that is derived from an ancestor’s means of livelihood. Toponymic surname is one that is related to the ancestor’s place of origin, village, or the terrains he was born into. Theoporic surname is derived from matter related to God and saints. And there is the descriptive surname that is derived from an ancestors’ physical appearance and personal traits.

In the descriptive surname, the surname may originally refer to an ancestor’s skin color or hair such as brown, black, and blond. Descriptive character traits include those of courage, modesty, and others. Over generations descendants’ appearance may not match their descriptive surname. This situation is common especially in former Spanish overseas colonies or territories where indigenous people were given or assigned Spanish names. Character traits include those of courage and bravery, mercy, and others. Below are some of the Filipino surnames that are of Spanish and indigenous origins.

Surnames of Spanish origins:

Abella- beautiful

Agudo- sharp

Alegre- cheerful

Alta- tall

Barbosa- bearded

Bello- beautiful

Blanco- white

Blando- soft

Bocanegra- black mouth

Bonita- pretty

Bravo- brave

Bueno- good

Calvo- bald

Cortes- courteous, court

Delgado-slim

Gallardo- gallant or brave

Grande-big

Guzman- good man

Lozano- beautiful or handsome

Miranda- admirable, wondrous

Moreno- brown

Neri- surname of Italian origin, from nero which means black.

Pardo- brown

Pobre- poor

Prieto- dark or swarthy

Roa- reddish or roan

Rojas, Roxas- Pink

Rubio- blond

Sabido- well known

Sabio- wise

Salvador- savior or rescuer. In religious context refers to Jesus Christ.

Valeroso- valiant

Valiente- brave

Surnames of indigenous origins:

About half of Filipino surnames are of indigenous origins. In fact, the Catalogo Alfabetico de Apellidos where most Filipino surnames came from contained both Spanish and indigenous surnames. Descriptive names of indigenous origins are those that refer to physical appearance or traits.

Babayen-on- effeminate

Bayot- gay, homosexual

Boctot- hunchback

Buhay- alive, life

Calingin- round

Caringal- handsome

Catacutan- fearsome

Catapang- brave

Dalisay- pure

Datu- rich, a title of a ruler

Dimaandal- cannot be budged

Dimaano- cannot be affected

Dimaculangan- one who cannot be shortchanged

Dimaguiba- indestructible

Dimalanta- one who cannot be withered

Dimapilis- one that cannot be twisted

Dimasupil- one who cannot be subdued.

Dimaunahan- one who cannot be outdone.

Dimayuga- unshakable

Gino-o- lord

Ilogon- a favorite or to snatch

Jumoc- soft

Kara-an- old. ancient

Maambong- handsome

Mabao- shallow

Mabilog- round

Mabini- modest

Macalipay- gladdening

Macalisang- fearsome

Macapobre- pro-poor

Macatol- itchy

Mahinay- slow

Mahusay- great

Malabanan- one who can be fought against

Malapitan- approachable

Malinao- clear

Malinis- clean

Malixi, Maliksi- agile, quick

Maloloy-on- merciful

Mamaril- one who shoots.

Manalo- one who can win.

Manaig- one who prevails.

Mangahas- one who dares.

Maniwang- thin

Marikit- pretty

Matawaran- negotiable

Paasa- one who makes other hope or expect.

Panganiban- to be feared of

Patay- dead

Puyat- one who lacks sleep.

Saguisag- symbol

Talinis- sharp

Ucab- open

Although many descriptive surnames are of Spanish origin, Filipinos who carried them consider it as not foreign. They are born into those names and consider them as their own.

The Trees at the Lim Ket Kai Center

 

In the business hub of Cagayan de Oro City is a shopping mall called Lim Ket Kai. What makes this shopping center stand out from other malls is the design of the whole commercial center which incorporates green landscape consisting of trees that line the surrounding roadsides and their islands.

The business area was once hectares of coconut grove that was transformed into a shopping center in the early 70’s. Coconuts trees were cut down to pave the way for the construction of buildings and roads to connect the place to other roads of the city. Along the roads with the center islands were planted saplings of introduced mahogany, narra and camansi or bread fruit. 

The development of the shopping area affected the environment surrounding it. Bitan-ag creek, which ran through the property of the business complex and was once a habitat for freshwater fishes were concreted at both sides of its banks to make its water run through a fixed course. The creek now looks just like an ordinary canal with dirty water filled with trash.

Most of the trees that were planted are now big and adorn the outdoors of the massive commercial area. Trees are a wonder of creation and naturally beautiful. The green color of their leaves symbolizes life and growth and is pleasing to the eyes. Trees provide many benefits to people even in an urban environment such as along streets or malls.

Trees clean the air of the surrounding environment by absorbing carbon dioxide that comes from smoke and other pollutants in their leaves and branches. Through the process of photosynthesis, the trees use the energy of sunlight and convert it to chemical energy to process carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose and oxygen which is the air that we breathe. In other words, trees are air cleaner and fresh air provider.  

Trees are natural air conditioners. They cool the surrounding areas by blocking sunlight with their canopy thus providing shade to the people and cooling the ground surface. Trees absorb water through their roots and bring it back upward through the stems and leaves and release it back into the air through the tiny pores of the leaves. The emitted water vapor cools the surrounding air temperature.

Tree roots can hold soil together and absorb some amount of water during heavy rains thus their disastrous effects such as floods and soil erosion can be mitigated. Without trees water runoffs flow directly into the waterways and floodings will result.

Even in an urban environment such as a shopping center the trees create an ecosystem. They need soil, sunlight, air and water to survive. Where there are trees there are also other living organisms and animals that interact with them to live. The flowers of the trees are visited by bees and other insects for their nectar and leaves and fruits for foods. Birds such as the native zebra doves and others prey on those insects. Beneath the ground are roots where creatures such as earthworms and other microorganisms have symbiotic relations with each other to survive. Their presence enriches the soil and benefits the trees and other plants on the ground surface.

Gmelina, a Tree That Fills the Needs for Lumbers in the Philippines

 Gmelina is a fast-growing deciduous tree belonging to the Lemnaceae family. It is a native to Southeast Asia, Australia, India, New Guinea, and New Caledonia.  It has a grayish grown bark; the wide spreading canopy has leaves that are heart shaped and yellow flowers that turn into small drupes. The tree can grow up to thirty meters and has a life span of about 30 to 40 years. Its small round fruits can be food for birds, fruit bats, monkeys, and other animals. The fruits are even edible to humans, but they are just ignored because it is not widely acceptable as food and its bittersweet taste is not suitable to their taste. Gmelina flowers are relished by bees for the nectar that produces high-quality honey. Gmelina leaves are good fodder for cattle.                                                                           

In the 60’s the forest cover of the Philippines was fast declining. And there was the need to protect native hardwoods such as nara, molave, red lauan and others from excessive logging, and to preserve the remaining forests. It was in that context that fast-growing trees from other countries such as gmelina and mahogany were introduced.  

The cutting of premium hardwood native trees is already banned by the government through the DENR. In this respect the planting of gmelina and mahogany for investment in agro-forestry has become financially viable. Farmers started growing these trees. The return on investment was long-term but profitable. The tree can grow fast in its first 5 to 8 years and slow down around seven years, and it can be harvested for its lumber in a decade or less.

                                                                                                                                                               Gmelina wood is used in house construction and making of furniture. It is also used in the production of plywoods, paper pulps, fuel, and charcoal. Though it is not as hard as the native hardwoods, gmelina is categorized as moderately hard which makes it an ideal wood to work with in wood crafts. Its softer texture and lighter weights make it an ideal material for making musical instruments like ukelele and acoustic guitars. Its straight grains and lightness make it suitable for guitar sound board in place of more preferred but imported and expensive spruce. Gmelina wood is susceptible to dents, warping and termite attack, so that it must be chemically treated and properly dried before use.

Because of the scarcity of native tree woods, gmelina and mahogany are currently the go-to woods for lumber, especially on inner house carpentry works. Coco lumber can also be used in low-cost housing and temporary buildings infrastructures and scaffoldings, but coco lumber is inferior to real tree woods and is more susceptible to termites and rot when exposed to water and rains.

                                                                                                                                                                 The introduction of gmelina in the Philippines has raised concern about the forest ecosystem since gmelina is not native tree and is considered as an invasive species that can crowd out, outgrow and even kill native trees in competing for nutrients from the soil. The situation is not good for the flora and fauna because native animals like insects, mammals, and carnivores depend on these native trees for foods and subsistence. It will also kill plants near its location because it consumes much water and nutrients in the ground leaving little for the undergrowth plants to survive.

Spanish/Filipino Patronymic Surnames

 

More than fifty percent of Filipino surnames are of Spanish origin as a result of more than three hundred years of Spanish colonization and influence in the Philippines. Spanish surnames are generally categorized as patronymic (based on the name of the father or an ancestor), topographic or geographic (based on an ancestor's place of origin), occupational (derived from a person's occupation), descriptive (based on physical features or character traits), and theophoric (related to God or spirituality).

The adoption of patronymic surnames is a long-standing European tradition. Examples include English surnames such as Johnson and Peterson, in which the suffix -son is added to a male given name. Thus, John becomes Johnson, and Peter becomes Peterson. Adding the letter -s to a given name also signifies "son of," as in Williams ("son of William") and Adams ("son of Adam"). In Irish and Scottish traditions, the prefixes Mac or Mc are added to a given name to mean "son of," as in McDonald, meaning "son of Donald." Likewise, the prefix O' means "grandson of" or "descendant of," as in O'Brien.

In the Spanish patronymic tradition, the suffix -ez is added to a given name. For example, the final letter o in Sancho is replaced with -ez, producing the surname Sanchez. Not every Spanish surname ending in “ez” has a strictly patronymic origin, as a few developed through other historical linguistic processes.

In 1849, during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines, Governor-General Narciso Clavería required native Filipinos without hereditary surnames to adopt one from the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos, a government-issued list containing Spanish and indigenous surnames from which families could choose.

Almost all patronymic surnames borne by Filipinos today are of Spanish origin. This is probably because it was not customary among pre-colonial Filipinos to adopt the given names of their fathers or ancestors as family surnames. Instead, most patronymic surnames were acquired from Clavería's catalog. In some cases, however, these surnames were inherited through Spanish ancestry. Over time, they were passed down through generations and came to be regarded simply as Filipino surnames despite their Spanish origin.

Below is a list of patronymic surnames together with selected notable Filipinos who bear them.

Alvarez — son of Alvaro. Heherson Alvarez (senator); Pantaleon Alvarez (former Speaker of the House of Representatives)

Benitez — son of Benito. Helena Benitez (senator)

Bermudez — son of Bermudo. Patricia Bermudez-Hizon (television host)

Diez — son of Diego. Dann Diez (eco-advocate)

Dominguez — son of Domingo. Carlos Dominguez III (Secretary of Finance)

Enriquez — son of Enrique. Mike Enriquez (television and radio broadcaster)

Estevez — son of Esteban

Fernandez — son of Fernando. Ramon Fernandez (basketball player); Ramon C. Fernandez (Associate Justice of the Supreme Court); Pops Fernandez (singer and actress)

Galindez — son of Galindo. Ambrosio "Boy" Galindez (priest)

Galvez — son of Galve, a medieval personal name. Carlito Galvez Jr. (retired general and presidential adviser)

Godinez — son of Godino. Becca Godinez (singer and actress); Alex Godinez (actress and model); Christine Godinez-Garcia (poet and educator)

Gomez — son of Gome, a name derived from the Visigothic word guma, meaning "man." Fr. Mariano Gomez (hero and martyr); Rita Gomez (actress)

Gonzales — son of Gonzalo. Luis Gonzales (actor); Norberto Gonzales (National Security Adviser); Neptali Gonzales (senator)

Gutierrez — son of Gutierre, the Spanish form of Walter. Eddie Gutierrez (actor); Ruffa Gutierrez (actress); Barry Gutierrez (lawyer)

Hernandez — son of Hernando. Amado V. Hernandez (National Artist, poet, and labor leader)

Iñiguez (Yñiguez) — son of Íñigo. Nicanor Yñiguez (delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention)

Jimenez — son of Jimeno. Ramon Jimenez Jr. (Secretary of Tourism); Joyce Jimenez (Filipino-American actress and television personality)

Juarez — a variant of Suarez

Lopez — son of Lope. Fernando Lopez (former Vice President)

Manriquez — son of Manrique

Marquez — son of Marcos. It may also refer to a descendant of a marquis, a noble title. Alfonso Marquez (basketball player and Olympian); Melanie Marquez (Miss International 1979)

Martinez — son of Martin. Primitivo Martinez (basketball player and Olympian); Liezl Martinez (actress)

Melendez — son of Melendo. Aiko Melendez (actress)

Melendrez — variant of Melendez

Mendez — variant of Melendez. Melissa Mendez (film and television actress)

Menendez — variant of Melendez

Nuñez — son of Nuño, a medieval personal name. Harry James Nuñez (professional football player)

Ordoñez — son of Ordoño. Sedfrey Ordoñez (Secretary of Justice)

Ortiz — son of Orta, a Basque personal name. Constancio Ortiz (basketball player and Olympian); Arturo Ortiz (retired lieutenant general)

Pelaez — son of Pelayo or Pelagio. Emmanuel Pelaez (the first person from Mindanao to become Vice President of the Philippines)

Perez — son of Pedro. Leonardo Perez (senator and COMELEC chairman); Barbara Perez (actress)

Ramirez — son of Ramiro. Cesar Ramirez (actor)

Rodriguez — son of Rodrigo. Rufus Rodriguez (congressman from Cagayan de Oro); Eulogio Rodriguez (politician); Celia Rodriguez (actress)

Romualdez — son of Romualdo. Imelda Romualdez Marcos (former First Lady); Martin Romualdez (Speaker of the House of Representatives)

Ruiz — son of Ruy. St. Lorenzo Ruiz (the first Filipino saint)

Sanchez — son of Sancho. Korina Sanchez-Roxas (television host); Caridad Sanchez (actress)

Suarez — son of Suero, a medieval given name. Danilo Suarez (politician)

Teves (Tevez) — son of Teve. Lorenzo Teves (senator)

Valdez — son of Valdo. The surname may also mean "from the valley." Fidel V. Ramos (12th President of the Philippines); Basil Valdez (singer); Alyssa Valdez (professional volleyball player)

Vasquez — son of Vasco. Romeo Vasquez (actor)

Velasquez — son of Velasco. Regine Velasquez (singer)

Velez — son of Vela. Vivian Velez (actress); Apolinar Velez (former mayor of Cagayan de Misamis); Jose Mari Velez (lawyer)

Ybáñez (Ibáñez) — son of Juan or Iban. Paulino Ybáñez (politician); Elihu Ybáñez (Presidential Commission on Good Government commissioner)

Although these surnames originated in Spain, they have become an integral part of Filipino identity. Today, millions of Filipinos bear patronymic surnames without necessarily having Spanish ancestry, reflecting the lasting influence of Spanish colonial rule and the implementation of the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos in 1849. These surnames are not only family identifiers but also reminders of an important chapter in Philippine history and the rich cultural heritage shared by Spain and the Philippines. :

 

Filipino Family Names Derived from Occupations, Vocations, and Titles

  

Centuries of Spanish colonization in the Philippines have significantly influenced Filipino culture, traditions, and religion. Philippine languages such as Cebuano and Tagalog have borrowed many words from Spanish. Filipinos also adopted Spanish given names and surnames.

More than half of Filipino surnames are of Spanish origin, many of which were taken from the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos, a list of surnames that native Filipinos were required to choose from under a decree issued by Governor-General Narciso Clavería during the Spanish colonial period. The catalog contains both Spanish and indigenous Filipino surnames.

Many surnames are related to a person's geographic origin, character traits, physical features, or the given name of an ancestor. Examples include Gonzalo, from which Gonzales is derived, and Pelagio or Pelayo, from which Pelaez originated. Some surnames signify the occupations, vocations, or titles of ancestors, which is the subject of this blog.

Below is a list of family names and their English meanings. Most are Spanish in origin. Native Filipinos in the past do not appear to have commonly adopted surnames based on their occupations. Three surnames in this list are italicized: two are indigenous Filipino names, while one is of Arabic origin.

• Abad — abbot
• Abogado — lawyer
• Abejero — beekeeper
• Aceñero (Filipino spelling: Aseniero) — steelmaker
• Alcaide — warden
• Alfarero — potter
• Alférez — ensign
• Almirante — admiral
• Apóstol — apostle
• Auditor — auditor
• Autor — author
• Ballesteros — crossbowman
• Barbero — barber
• Barrero (feminine: Barrera) — sweeper
• Botero — boatmaker
• Caballero — knight
• Cabrera (feminine of Cabrero) — goatherder
• Cardenal — cardinal
• Castellano — castle lord
• Cazador (also Casador) — hunter
• Claver — key keeper
• Clérigo — cleric
• Comendador — commander
• Conde — count
• Cordero — shepherd of lambs
• Coronel — colonel
• Custodio — custodian
• Datu — an indigenous Filipino title for a village or community ruler; it can also refer to a wealthy person.
• Defensor — advocate
• Diputado- deputy
• Doctor — doctor (also médico in Spanish)
• Duque — duke
• Ejercito- army
• Escribano — scribe
• Escudero — squire
• Espadero — swordsmith
• Ferrer — ironsmith
• Garzón — waiter
• Guerrero — warrior
• Herrero (feminine: Herrera) — smith
• Hidalgo — nobleman
• Hortelano — gardener
• Jurado — juror
• La Guardia — guard
• Labrador, Labradores — farmer, laborer
• Maestre — master
• Maestro — teacher
• Manulat — writer
• Márquez — marquis; it may also mean "son of Marco"
• Mercader — merchant
• Molina — miller
• Monje or Monge — monk
• Montero — huntsman
• Obispo — bishop
• Obrero (feminine: Obrera) — worker
• Papa — pope
• Pastor — shepherd
• Pastrano (feminine: Pastrana) — shepherd
• Peregrino (feminine: Peregrina) — pilgrim
• Pintor — painter
• Piquero — pikeman
• Posada or Posadas — innkeeper
• Quintero — farmer
• Regidor — councilor
• Reyes — kings (plural of king)
• Romero — pilgrim
• Sacristán — sacristan
• Sargento- sergeant
• Solon- solon
• Sultan — a title of Arabic origin meaning a Muslim ruler. This surname is also used by some Christians.
• Tejero — weaver
• Tendero- shopkeeper
• Tenorio — tenor; also used to mean an amorist or lady-killer
• Tesorero — treasurer
• Tutor — tutor
• Vanguardia — vanguard
• Vasallo — vassal