Osorio
A Spanish surname traditionally linked either to an old noble family name or to a nickname built from the idea of daring or boldness.
The #1,199 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 10,472 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical evidence for Osorio is mixed. Some older Spanish genealogical writers connect it to an early family tradition or to an ancestor with a nickname such as Osado, later reshaped into Osorio, but that explanation is not certain. Other medieval forms recorded in Spanish sources suggest the name may be very old in Iberia, though the ultimate root is not firmly established from these excerpts alone.
History
Osorio is a well-known Spanish surname associated with an old noble lineage in medieval Castile and León. The name appears in historical genealogies of prominent families and remained established enough to spread widely in the Spanish-speaking world. In modern usage it is common in Spain and across Latin America, and also appears in the United States through Hispanic immigration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A 20th-century Spanish genealogical work says the Osorio house was considered one of the oldest family lines in its region.
From the historical record
“mia con título de condado. Don Alfonso XI dió en 1328 título de conde de Trastamar, Lermas i¡ Sarria. a don Al- varo Núñez de Osorio, su privado; i desde aquel tiempo se fué introduciendo la costumbre de dar título de condes con el señorio de tierras i jurisdiccion civil i criminal sobre los vallados. Condes.…”
— Diccionario de los apellidos