Garrido
A Spanish surname from a nickname meaning “handsome,” “fine,” or “well-groomed.”
The #4,124 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 35,880 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Garrido comes from Spanish garrido, an adjective meaning handsome, graceful, neat, or finely dressed. It was first used as a descriptive nickname for someone admired for their appearance or elegant bearing, and later became hereditary as a surname. The historical excerpts also gloss it with related ideas such as pretty, pleasant, lively, or graceful.
History
The surname is well established in Spain and also appears widely across Spanish-speaking countries through later migration. Because it began as a compliment-like nickname, it belongs to the common group of Spanish surnames formed from personal qualities rather than place names or occupations. It is especially familiar in Latin America today, where many families carry it from colonial-era Spanish roots.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older Spanish, garrido could describe not just a person’s looks but also a lively, pleasing manner of behaving.
From the historical record
“Garay. Cierto barco filipino. :-” Garrido. Hérimoso, lindo, agradable. 68 DICCIONARIO”
— Diccionario de los apellidos