Pérez
A very common Spanish surname originally meaning “son of Pedro/Peter.”
The #22 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 453 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Pérez is a Spanish patronymic surname, formed from the personal name Pedro, the Spanish form of Peter. The older sense is essentially “Pedro’s son” or “descendant of Pedro,” and some historical sources describe it as preserving an old genitive-like ending in Spanish family names. The underlying name Peter goes back through Latin Petrus to Greek and Hebrew roots meaning “rock.”
History
The surname became widespread in Spain because Peter was a very popular given name, especially after Christian devotion to St. Peter. It later spread throughout the Spanish-speaking world through migration and colonial settlement. Because it is so common, Pérez is now one of the best-known surnames in the Hispanic world.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Historical writers often used Pérez as a textbook example of a Spanish patronymic surname, alongside Díaz, López, and Martínez.
From the historical record
“(peiriera, oc). Pérès, Perez. Pierre (Esp.). Peret.Perey, Pereyon, Peri- caud, Perichard, Perichon, Pe- richot, Peridon. Dir. de Père (Pierre) et de Peric : Pierre (Bret.).”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)