Meaning of suffix "rez" in Hispanic languages
In Hispanic languages—specifically Spanish—"-rez" is a highly common patronymic suffix, meaning "son of."
It was traditionally used in the Middle Ages to form surnames from a father's given name. If a man named Fernando had a son, the son might take the surname Fernández (son of Fernando).
Here is how some of the most common Spanish surnames break down using this suffix:
A Quick Linguistic Note
Linguists still debate the exact origin of the suffix. The most widely accepted theory is that it comes from Visigothic (a Germanic language spoken by the rulers of the Iberian Peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire). It is closely related to the Germanic genitive endings (like the "s" in "William's son" which eventually became Williamson).
You will occasionally see it spelled as "-res" (like Torres or Flores), but those are typically plural nouns referring to a place or family origin (e.g., "Towers" or "Flowers"), rather than the "son of" patronymic.
