Urbano
A surname and given name from Latin Urbanus, meaning “of the city” or “courteous, refined.”
The #7,612 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 70,684 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Urbano comes from Latin Urbanus, a name originally linked to urbs, “city.” In practice, Latin urbanus could mean either “from the city” or, by extension, “polite, refined, well-mannered.” As a surname, it most likely began as a nickname for someone thought urbane or city-bred, and in some cases it may also reflect use of the inherited personal name Urbanus.
History
The name was used in the Roman world and was borne by an early Christian saint and pope, which helped spread it through Europe. It survives as Urban in English and as Urbano in Romance-language areas, especially Italy, Spain, and Portugal. In surname use, it is found in several European traditions and their diaspora communities.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The word behind Urbano is the same one that gave English urban, and the older sense was not just “city-related” but also “polite” or “cultured.”
From the historical record
“tancia en aquel superior tribunal, Cortés. Valiente, comedido, afable, urbano. Cortina. Paño grande hecho de tejido de seda, lana, lienzo u otro jénero, con que se cubren i adornan las puertas, ventanas, camas 1 otras cosas.”
— Diccionario de los apellidos