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, 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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