Sanchez
A very common Spanish surname meaning “son of Sancho,” originally a patronymic from a medieval personal name.
The #26 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 504 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Sanchez comes from the medieval Spanish given name Sancho, with the suffix -ez meaning “son of.” The name Sancho goes back to Latin Sanctius, a personal name ultimately associated with the idea of “holy” or “saintly.” In plain terms, Sanchez originally meant “Sancho’s son.”
History
The surname became widespread in Spain as hereditary surnames replaced older patronymic naming practices. It is especially common in Spanish-speaking countries and later spread widely through migration to the Americas. Historical surname dictionaries consistently treat it as one of the standard Spanish patronymics.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it is such a common patronymic, Sanchez is one of the best-known Spanish surnames worldwide and appears in many independent regional spellings.
From the historical record
“the Saints. SANCHEZ (Sp.), Sancho's. (v. Diaz and Yanez.) SANCTIS, de' (Jt.), of the Saints. Sangiorgio, da, of St. George. San Giovanni, di, of St. John. S. Catiiarina da SiENA,\di, of St. Catherine of Siena. SANDE, ten (U).), at the Sand. Sanford (©.), Sand ford. SARGENT (C.), Sergeant. In the twelfth century…”
— Surnames