Where is your last name from?

Thu16Nov2006

Where is your last name from?

11:46 H | Topics: Culture - History - Latin America - Spain

Due to an incident in history known as la conquista, most of the last names in Latin America, the Philippines and a few other regions are Spanish in origin. It's hard to believe that relatively small country such as Spain has had so much influence on culture, language and that so many of us still wear the last name of whatever Spaniard was spreading his seed around our ancestors' homeland back in the day.

If you are curious about where your last name comes from and how it's spread throughout the Iberian peninsula, the Spanish National Statistics Institute has a gadget for you. By entering your last name in their application, you can see where the highest concentration of people who share your apellido in Spain are located, which normally points to its region of origin. Not surprisingly, many Latino last names common in the U.S. are linked to Andalucia, the southern region of Spain that was home to many conquistadores.

You can see the popularity of your last name distributed geographically on a map, and a chart also tells you exactly how many people with your last name live in Spain (including whether or not they have your last name as a primer apellido, segundo apellido or both), and where they live. You can also see how many of these people were born there and how many are immigrants. Perhaps totally useless information, but if you are nerd like me it's fun for a few minutes.

Pictured: Map of the geographic density of the last name Rodriguez, the 6th most common last name in Spain and the 22nd most common in the U.S.

Related: About.com's list of most common Latino last names and their origins

Via / 20 Minutos

Americans Don't Care about Latin America (Wednesday, Jan 30 2008)
La Mala's Musica of the Year (Friday, Dec 28 2007)

Jennifer

Feedback (3) | Del.icio.us

Feedback (3) » Share your opinion

1. Maegan la Mala ~ Thursday, Nov 16 2006 | 12:53H:

That is such a cool application. No wonder I like the south of Spain so much.

2. Yosef Larribas ~ Thursday, Nov 16 2006 | 22:27H:

This is a cool utility.
But I also have something to say about this

"....last name of whatever Spaniard was spreading his seed around our ancestors' homeland back in the day."

So what you're trying to say? Spain is not your ancestor's homeland too??
(You can tell I'm half spaniard lol)

3. ERIC ~ Saturday, Nov 18 2006 | 16:43H:

For many of us non-Spanish speaking people we just do not understand the obession with SPAIN! It's as if your still under their colonial rule with the fanatical homage paid them. Especially with this constant reference to what degree of Spanish blood and the racists overtones associated with those degrees, that are still present in the former colonial countries of Even to this day many areas still practice a caste system based on a persons skin color or physical characteristics that are deemed more Even to this day many areas still practice a caste system based on a persons skin color or physical characteristics that are deemed more Spanish/European, therefore more desireable.
Its a historical fact "most" people cannot trace their roots to Spain! Not that being of another ethnic group ie Asian or Indian etc is bad, but in many areas being or looking more European/from Spain is a distinct advantage in these countries.
MOST people in countries labeled Hispanic or counguerored by Spain are not Spanish/European by blood!!
It was a very common practice by the Catholic church to "Christianize" the indigneous population with Spanish names, ie Juan Diego of Mexico. As did the French in Africa and the English in the U.S. Having a French name didn't make an African French. But inspite of the brainwashing, the African didn't want to be French. They didn't forget their history and cultures as many did once Spain invaded and made their culture the center of the universe.
Maybe! Just maybe, the former Spanish colonies of South American will actually start to reach their full potential as cultures when they shed theses colonial attitudes of Spain and its Eurocentric attitudes of race and sex. Instead, embrace the fact that Native cultures of those countries in many ways were superior to anything Spain ever had from then, till now!
The former colonies of England never reached true independence and glory until they embraced who they are now and shed the cultural and idelogoical apron sting to Europe!
Its a new century. Learn from the past, do not worship it! Live in the present! Be Mexicans, Venezuelans or even Americans. Not Spains bastard children!!

VivirLatino