Pablo
A Spanish surname and given name from the Latin name Paul, meaning “small” or “humble.”
The #5,384 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 47,779 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Pablo is the Spanish form of Latin Paulus, the personal name that gave rise to Paul in English. The Latin root is usually explained as meaning “small,” “little,” or by extension “humble.” As a surname, Pablo is most naturally understood as coming from a forebear named Pablo, rather than from a separate occupational or place-name source.
History
The name Pablo was widely used in the Spanish-speaking world because of the Christian apostle Paul, and it spread through Spain and then into Latin America. Historical surname use is comparatively straightforward: it typically arose from a personal name that later became hereditary. In English-language sources, Pablo is often treated alongside the many European forms of Paul, which became common under Christian influence.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same ancient Roman name behind Pablo also produced Paul, Paolo, Paulo, Pawel, Pavel, and many other European forms.
From the historical record
“Cárlos Salas Pablo Mendez Bernardo Verdejo Alberto Videla Micaela Cuadra V. Matea Vidal”
— Diccionario de los apellidos