Tracy Koroma answered
The surname “Gonzalez” has a pretty interesting history - it dates back to the twelfth century, when there was a saint with that name!
Who Was Gonzalez?
Blessed Peter González - also known as Saint Elmo - was a Dominican friar and priest from León, Spain.
He travelled with the King (Saint Ferdinand III) and preached to the poor, trying to convert them to Catholicism.
Peter González wasn’t officially made a saint until the 18th century - that’s over six hundred years after his death!
What Else Does Gonzalez Mean?
Gonzalez can also mean “son of Gonzalo”. Apparently, “Gonzalo” is a first name that comes from Old High German, and means “war elf” or “battle genius”.
In this light, “Gonzalez” can be considered a patronymic name - which means that it comes from a the first name of a male ancestor.
Patronymic names are often formed by adding something to the first name of the father. A great example of this is “Wilson”, which means “son of William”.
Who Was Gonzalez?
Blessed Peter González - also known as Saint Elmo - was a Dominican friar and priest from León, Spain.
He travelled with the King (Saint Ferdinand III) and preached to the poor, trying to convert them to Catholicism.
Peter González wasn’t officially made a saint until the 18th century - that’s over six hundred years after his death!
What Else Does Gonzalez Mean?
Gonzalez can also mean “son of Gonzalo”. Apparently, “Gonzalo” is a first name that comes from Old High German, and means “war elf” or “battle genius”.
In this light, “Gonzalez” can be considered a patronymic name - which means that it comes from a the first name of a male ancestor.
Patronymic names are often formed by adding something to the first name of the father. A great example of this is “Wilson”, which means “son of William”.
