VALDES
Valdes
Valdes is a British surname with origins in Spanish and Portuguese. It is believed to have been brought to the British Isles through immigration or historical ties with Iberian countries.
Etymology: The surname Valdes is derived from the Spanish or Portuguese personal name "Val(d)es," which ultimately traces back to a Visigothic given name, derived from the elements walha meaning "foreign" or "Romanized" and auda meaning "power." The name might have been used to denote someone of foreign or Roman descent.
Distribution: The Valdes surname is found across the United Kingdom, with concentrations in regions that historically had ties with Spain and Portugal or areas with a high level of immigration.
Notable People:
- Juan Valdes: A fictional character in Elizabethan literature.
- María Valdés: A British-Spanish historian specialising in Anglo-Spanish relations.
Variants: Variants of the Valdes surname include Valdez and Valdy.
References:
- Reaney, P. H., & Wilson, R. M. (1997). A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
- Hanks, P., Hardcastle, K., & Hodges, F. (2006). A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press.
There are approximately 107 people named Valdes in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around two in a million people in Britain are named Valdes.
Origin: Iberian
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: Spain
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Spanish