This is an ancient and noble surname recorded in many forms. These include Roderick (English), Rodiger (German), Rodriguez (Spanish), and Rodrigues (Portugese), as examples of popular surnames. There are apparently two quite separate origins, although with curious similarities which suggest a possible common source in pre-history. The first is from the ancient Gaelic-Breton compound "Rhyd-derch" which translates as "famous chief", a meaning which no doubt contributed to its early popularity. In the Middle Ages a secondary meaning was "the red haired one", although this in itself may also have harked back to the original meaning.
The second origin is Germanic, from the pre 5th century, when German tribes, particularly the Vizigoths sweptd down into Spain and Portugal. They left behind many examples of their names, of which this is one of the most popular. The derivation is from 'hrod' meaning renown and 'ric' - power, a not dissimilar translation to the Gaelic.The name was at first baptismal and pagan, although at later times after the 7th century it became closely associated with the early Christians. The first authenticated recording is believed to be that of Rhodri Mawr, or Roderic the Great, King of Wales, who died in 877 a.d., however this was not a surname. Early examples of these taken from church and civil registers include Christobal Rodriguez de Leon in 1536, and Juan Rodriguez de Santos, in 1662, at Valladolid, Spain. The coat of arms has the bl;azon of quarterly, red and gold, in one and four an eagle displayed in gold, in two and three, three fleur de lis in blue. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Heinrich Rodigerus, which was dated 1260, in the charters of the city of Lubeck, Germany, during the reign of Emperor Alonso X of the German Empire, 1257 - 1273. 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.
It derives from the Spanish patronymic surname linked to the name Rodrigo (from the Germanic Hroderich, Hrodric, "powerful lord, glorious man").
The surname Rodriguez is present above all in the Milanese and Roman areas.
Discovering the historical origins of Rodriguez 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 Rodriguez is a thorny and surprising journey into the past in order to find out the origin of the surname Rodriguez, which leads us to have more knowledge about those who bear the surname Rodriguez, 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 Rodriguez, we know where it is possible to find people with the surname Rodriguez today.
View complete list of Rodriguez in the world
The history of Rodriguez is an interesting sequence of events that were protagonized by the people who have held the surname Rodriguez throughout history, and it is possible to trace this history back to the first bearers of the surname Rodriguez. 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 Rodriguez. In the following lines, you can find everything we have been able to compile about the surname Rodriguez. 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 Rodriguez.
Unfortunately, we do not have any more historical information about Rodriguez 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 Rodriguez, 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 Rodriguez that is available to you, thanking you in advance for your detail.
There have probably been some significant Rodriguez 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 Rodriguez 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 Rodriguez who, for some reason, have left their mark on the course of history.
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 Rodriguez 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 Rodriguez, as well as many other surnames:
These sources are essential for taking a step forward in the study of Rodriguez, and of surnames in general.