Pérez

Pérez is a surname of Spanish origin and is one of the most common family names in the Spanish-speaking world. It functions as a patronymic name, indicating descent from an ancestor named Pere or Pedro.

Etymology and origin: The surname is formed with the patronymic suffix -ez, meaning “son of.” It most likely derives from the given name Pere, the Catalan form of Peter, or from the given name Pedro in Castilian usage. Over time, Pérez developed into a hereditary family name carried by many lineages.

Distribution and usage: Pérez is widespread throughout Spain and across Latin America, reflecting centuries of Spanish exploration, colonization, and migration. It is also found among communities in the Philippines and other regions formerly influenced by Spanish administration. The name is highly prevalent in countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, and Chile, among others, and it is common among Hispanic and Latino populations worldwide.

Orthography and variants: In Spanish, Pérez is written with an acute accent on the final syllable. In Anglophone contexts and other non-Spanish writing, it is often rendered without the accent as Perez. The name has produced numerous family lineages, and its prominence has led to its appearance in many cultural, historical, and genealogical records.

See also: Pérez may appear in discussions of genealogy, surname distributions in the Spanish-speaking world, and studies of patronymic naming conventions in Iberian cultures.