Lobo
A surname found in Spanish and Portuguese that usually means “wolf.”
The #6,943 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 63,922 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Lobo is the Spanish and Portuguese word for “wolf,” from Latin lupus. As a surname, it was most likely first applied as a nickname, either for someone thought wolf-like in character or appearance, or as an inherited family name from a wolf-related house sign or personal byname. In Iberian naming traditions, animal surnames are common, and Lobo fits that pattern well.
History
The excerpts point to Spanish usage and also show the surname among Iberian-style surnames. In the English-speaking world, Lobo appears in records of immigrants and descendants from Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities. The name is also found in parts of Latin America and among Portuguese families.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because lobo means “wolf,” the surname belongs to a large family of Iberian animal surnames, many of which became common hereditary names.
From the historical record
“Ellin^,eo.Norf::^*.i.48& i.ui. BapL— lobo Charles; St. la ClerkenweU, L I. 15S5-6. TertnlSan F>-ne and Uu iia^lcSnihill,”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances