VALDEZ - Surname Meaning and Family History

The Valdez surname has more than one possible origin:

1. A patronymic surname meaning son of Baldo (from the German bald, "brave"); Baldo is a shortened form of Baltazar, one of the three magi.
2. One who came from Valdéz (tableland), translated literally as "from the valley."

Valdez is the 47th most common Hispanic surname.

Surname Origin: Spanish

Alternate Surname Spellings: VALDES
 

Famous People with the Surname VALDEZ

• Jerónimo Valdés: Spanish general and governor of Cuba
• Jeremy Ray Valdez: American actor

Where is the VALDEZ Surname Most Common?

Forebears, which uses various name lists (census records, telephone books, birth records, etc.) to determine surname distribution, claims that Valdez is the 687th most common surname in the world, and is most prevalent in Mexico. Valdez ranks as the 35th most common surname in the Dominican Republic, 67th in Paraguay and 73rd in Mexico.

Genealogy Resources for the Surname VALDEZ

50 Common Hispanic Surnames and Their Meanings
Garcia, Martinez, Rodriguez, Lopez, Hernandez... Are you one of the millions of people sporting one of these top 50 common Hispanic last names?

Valdez Family Crest: It's Not What You Think
Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Valdez family crest or coat of arms for the Valdez surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.

VALDEZ at Family Tree DNA
Individuals with the Valdez surname are invited to use this site to find their common heritage through DNA testing.

FamilySearch: VALDEZ Genealogy
Explore over 1.7 million results from digitized historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Valdez surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

GeneaNet: Valdez Records
GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Valdez surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.

VALDEZ Surname & Family Mailing Lists 
RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Valdez surname. In addition to joining a list, you can also browse or search the archives to explore over a decade of postings for the Valdez surname.

Ancestry.com: Valdez Surname
Explore over 2.8 million digitized records and database entries, including census records, passenger lists, military records, land deeds, probates, wills and other records for the Valdez surname on the subscription-based website, Ancestry.com

Sources

• Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.
• Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.
• Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.
• Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.
• Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.
• Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.
• Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.