Origin of Gonzalez
This famous surname recorded in the spellings of Gonzales, Gonzalez, Gonzalvo, Gozalo, Gonzalvez, Gosalvez, Goncaves, and Gonzalo, is usually accepted as being of Spanish or Portuguese origin. However in truth like so many Iberian surnames, its origins are Germanic. In the 5th century the Visigoths from Eastern Germany conquered the whole region, sweeping down from the Baltic and across the Pyrenean mountains into the Spanish Peninsula. Their legacy today is often found in the surnames, and these surnames themselves have crossed the ocean to the American continent.
In this case the development is from the early German baptismal name 'Gundisalvus', which loosely translates as 'the battle field or battle place', a typical example of a warlike name so popular in the period. Examples of the surname recordings taken from early church registers include Maria Gonzales who married Alonzo Moreno at Villapalcio, San Sebastian, Spain, on October 3rd 1568, and Catharina Martin Gonzalo, christened at Agusal, Valladolid, Spain, on May 7th 1618. An early recording in Mexico was Francisco Goncalo, at Puebla de Zaragoza, Puebla, on June 12th 1590. The coat of arms most associated with the name is probably that granted to Gonzales de Castille, which has the blazon of a triple towered castle on a red field. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Marcos Gonzales de Junguito, which was dated July 1st 1556, christened at Segovia, Spain, during the reign of King Philip 11 of Spain, 1554 - 1590. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Of Castilian origin, these are patronymic forms in -es or -ez, suffixes that indicate "the children of" a certain Gonzalo equivalent to the Catalan Gonçal and the Italian Consalvo.
Very common surname in Chile, Argentina and Paraguay and in other Hispanic countries.
The surname Gonzalez is specific to Rome.
Gonzales is present in Genoa, Naples and Palermo.
The surname Gonzalez. Its genealogy, origins, history, and meaning.
Discovering the historical origins of Gonzalez is an incredibly exciting journey that takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who built this lineage. Like most surnames, the history of the surname Gonzalez is a thorny and surprising journey into the past in order to find out the origin of the surname Gonzalez, which leads us to have more knowledge about those who bear the surname Gonzalez, their origin, their coat of arms, the bibliography in which it appears... It is possible to trace their genealogy and, in addition to the original places of Gonzalez, we know where it is possible to find people with the surname Gonzalez today.
View complete list of Gonzalez in the world
Gonzalez: historical chronicle
The history of Gonzalez is an interesting sequence of events that were protagonized by the people who have held the surname Gonzalez throughout history, and it is possible to trace this history back to the first bearers of the surname Gonzalez. Their feats, their way of life, the places they lived, their family relationships, the jobs they held... All of this is crucial for anyone who, like you, is interested in having more information about the historical, heraldic, coat of arms, and nobility of the surname Gonzalez. In the following lines, you can find everything we have been able to compile about the surname Gonzalez. However, if you have more information that you would like to share, we would greatly appreciate your contribution to expand the knowledge of people who, like you, are looking to increase their knowledge about the surname Gonzalez.
Unfortunately, we do not have any more historical information about Gonzalez than the one we have provided with pleasure. We invite those who visit us on this website to analyze the recommended bibliography and to come back often, since we often receive valuable collaborations from other people interested in the origin and history of surnames that could have information of special interest about the surname Gonzalez, and that we would update on this website as soon as possible (after a previous verification). Similarly, if you consider yourself one of those people, we urge you to support us and send us the information about Gonzalez that is available to you, thanking you in advance for your detail.
The most famous Gonzalez in history
There have probably been some significant Gonzalez throughout the history of humanity, even if, for some reason, not all of their contributions were included in the chronicles of the time or their data has not come down to the present day. Unfortunately, not all of the important contributions of people who have carried the surname Gonzalez were taken into account at the time by the chroniclers of the time. Although a surname has the ability to link a person to a famous lineage and a glorious coat of arms, it is individuals who, throughout their lives and by virtue of some outstanding or important achievements for the society in which they lived, give their surnames renown and it is possible to establish prominent lineages. For this reason, we want to highlight on this website those people with the surname Gonzalez who, for some reason, have left their mark on the course of history.
The surname Gonzalez and its bibliographic sources
Based on all the research we have been able to gather so far, we can say that there is information available about the history, genealogy, and heraldry of the surname Gonzalez thanks to bibliographic sources. This means that we can discover more about its original meaning, origin, history, coat of arms, and heraldry. Our recommendation is to consult the following sources if you want to conduct research on the surname Gonzalez, as well as many other surnames:
Bibliographic sources for Gonzalez
These sources are essential for taking a step forward in the study of Gonzalez, and of surnames in general.
