LOPES
Lopes is a surname of Portuguese origin that can be traced back to the Latin word lupus, meaning “wolf.” The name entered Iberian use as a patronymic, indicating descent from an ancestor named Lopo or Lope, both of which are derived from the same Latin root.
In medieval Europe the symbol of the wolf was associated with courage, cunning and strength. These qualities were considered highly honourable, and the surname was therefore commonly adopted by families who wished to identify themselves with those traits. The use of animal-derived names for this purpose was widespread, as can be seen from the parallel surnames of Lobos and Lupus.
The spelling Lopes is most frequently found in Portugal, where it is among the most common surnames today. It is also widely used in the former colonies of the Portuguese Empire, notably Brazil, and elsewhere in Latin America where Portuguese and Spanish influenced naming practices. In Spain the name appears as López, a spelling variation that reflects the Spanish phonetic system.
Historical records provide concrete evidence of the surname’s early diffusion. The earliest written instance that survives is that of Catalina Lopez, dated 20 June 1566, at Santa Maria Magdalena in Valladolid, Spain, during the reign of King Philip the Eleventh. Later entries include the marriage of Dominicus Lopes to Jane Baker on 23 September 1622 at St. Dunstan’s church in Stepney, England, indicating a presence among Anglicised communities by the early seventeenth century. Other baptisms and marriages recorded in the Americas—such as Alonso Juan Lopez in Asuncion, Mexico (1637), Ramirez Lopes in Santa Catarina, Mexico (1709), and Aquida Josefa Lopez in San Diego, California (1789)—show the name’s continuity across the Atlantic.
Because of the historical movements of peoples, the surname is also common among families of Sephardic Jewish descent, particularly in Brazil. The name’s prevalence in the United States is most notable in states with large Hispanic and Latino populations, such as California, Florida, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, where it is often found in its Portuguese form Lopes or in the Spanish variant López.
Variants of the name exist in other languages, most notably the Romanian Lupu, as well as several less common forms such as Lopaz and Lopas. Colonial history also produced compound surnames that incorporate Lopes with other Christian names, for example Rodriguez Lopes and Gomez Lopes. The prepositions de and di, meaning “of,” appear historically in surnames like Di Lopes or De Lopes, signalling noble lineage or land ownership; the suffix Vaz indicates “son of Lope,” as in Lopes Vaz.
Throughout its history the surname has retained the same fundamental meaning: a reference to the wolf, a creature emblematic of bravery and intelligence. Its continued popularity across continents reflects both a lineage of cultural heritage and the enduring appeal of these symbolic qualities.
Typical given names associated with the Lopes surname
Male
- Antonio
- Carlos
- David
- Fernando
- Francisco
- Joao
- Jose
- Luis
- Manuel
- Paulo
- Pedro
- Robson
Female
- Adriana
- Ana
- Anabela
- Carla
- Catia
- Claudia
- Daniela
- Maria
- Paula
- Sandra
- Sonia
- Susana
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Lopes in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 1,893 people named Lopes in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,406th most common surname in Britain. Around 29 in a million people in Britain are named Lopes.
Origin: Iberian
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: Portugal
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Portuguese
Famous people named Lopes
- Laura Lopes - Royal Family and British art curator
- Lisa Lopes - American rapper, singer-songwriter and actress (1971 to 2002)
- Frank Lopes Jr. - American hip hop artist
- Massey Lopes, 2nd Baron Roborough - Baron (1903 to 1992)
- Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Roborough - Politician (1859 to 1938)
- Massey Lopes - Conservative politician and agriculturalist (1818 to 1908)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.