Show ContentsAlvarez History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Alvarez is patronymic, that is, it is a surname derived from the first name of a male relative. In this case, the surname is derived from the Portuguese/Spanish first name Alvaro, which is ultimately from the Germanic (Visigoth) words "all," meaning all and "wer," meaning true. The suffixes "ez - oz - iz - es" on the end of Portuguese names generally indicate that the name is of patronymic origin. There is also a place-name Alve which is located in Spain.

Early Origins of the Alvarez family

The surname Alvarez was first found in Portugal. Early records of this name in Spain frequently occur with the prefix "de," and there is a reference to one Martin Garcia de Alve recorded in Tolosa in 1346.

Early History of the Alvarez family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alvarez research. Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Alvarez History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alvarez Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Alves, Alvez, Alvarez, Alvares and others.

Early Notables of the Alvarez family

More information is included under the topic Early Alvarez Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alvarez World Ranking

In the United States, the name Alvarez is the 220th most popular surname with an estimated 119,376 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Alvarez is ranked the 662nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,169 people with that name. 2 And in South America, the name Alvarez is the 8th popular surname with an estimated 295 people with that name. 3


United States Alvarez migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Alvarez Settlers in United States in the 16th Century
  • Anton Alvarez, who settled in America in 1512
  • Alonso Alvarez, who arrived in America in 1528
  • Ana Alvarez, who settled in America in 1535
  • Ana Rodriguez Alvarez, who settled in Peru in 1567
  • Andres Alvarez, who settled in New Granada in 1567
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Alvarez Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Antonia Alvarez, who settled in New Orleans in 1779
Alvarez Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Manuel Alvarez, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1802 4
  • Nicolas Alvarez, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1803 4
  • Julian Alvarez, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1803 4
  • Juliana Alvarez, who arrived in America in 1811 4
  • Hemand Alvarez, who landed in America in 1811 4
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Alvarez Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Angel Alvarez, who settled in Tampa, FL in 1901

West Indies Alvarez migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 5
Alvarez Settlers in West Indies in the 16th Century
  • Agustin Alvarez, who arrived in Dominican Republic in 1579

Contemporary Notables of the name Alvarez (post 1700) +

  • Luis Walter Alvarez (1911-1988), American physicist, Nobel Prize winner in 1968 for his work in elementary particle research
  • Julia Altagracia Alvarez (b. 1950), American novelist and poet
  • Eugenio Alfredo Alvarez (1918-1976), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1972; Member of New York State Assembly 75th District, 1973-74 6
  • Donald R. Alvarez, American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for California, 1996 6
  • David A. Alvarez, American politician, Representative from Alabama 6th District, 1990 6
  • Chema Alvarez Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1996 6
  • Carmen Alvarez, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 2000 6
  • Carlos A. Alvarez (b. 1952), American politician, Mayor of Miami-Dade County, Florida, 2004-11 6
  • Carlos Alvarez (b. 1986), American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles, California, 2009; Peace and Freedom Candidate for Governor of California, 2010 6
  • Anita Alvarez, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 2008 6
  • ... (Another 31 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

St. Francis Dam
  • Jesus Alvarez, Meixcan born American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
  • Mrs. Carmen Alvarez, (nee Valenzuela), Meixcan born American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
  • Miss Ynez Alvarez, Meixcan born American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
  • Mr. Ramon Alvarez, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
  • Miss Julia Alvarez, Meixcan born American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. "List of most common surnames in South America." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_South_America
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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