Arce
A surname found in Spanish and related traditions, probably tied to a place-name or to a word for a fortification or embankment.
The #1,844 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 15,862 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Most evidence points to Arce as a Spanish locational surname, meaning someone from a place called Arce. In Spanish, arce is also the word for “maple,” so some families may have been understood through that ordinary vocabulary as well, though the surname is usually treated as toponymic in historical surname lists. Older scholarship also connects related forms with words for a fortified place or embankment, but that line is less certain for this surname specifically.
History
The name appears in Spanish genealogical material as an old family line, and it is also listed among Spanish surnames in historical surname compilations. Because it is short and place-based, it likely arose independently in more than one locality. In modern usage it is best known as a Spanish surname, especially in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Arce is one of those surnames that can also be an everyday Spanish word, since arce means “maple.”
From the historical record
“Afl[nes Gogwine, co. Backs, ibid. ARce Gogan, co. Oxf., ibid. London, 1,0; Boston, o, 8. Oold, Qould, Qoold.— Bapt. ' the son of Gold.' All from A.S.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)Notable people named Arce
- Luis Arce (b. 1963)
- Francisco Arce (b. 1971)
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