He last name Cortés, so used in Spanish (with around 85,000 people who have it as their first surname, a similar number as their second surname, and nearly 6,000 as both surnames). It has a long history in our country and has left its mark on various lineages, standing out in the regions of Castilla, Aragón, and among the gypsy and Jewish-Sephardicwhose history, and widely spread throughout Spain, reveals an ancient lineage originating from Aragon.
The etymology of the surname Cortés is linked to two possible origins. The first is related to Spanish toponyms derived from the Vulgar Latin “cors, -ortis”, with the meaning of work house, farmhouse or corral. Over time, the surname underwent a change in accentuation.
The origin of the surname Cortés is in an adjective
The second origin is found in the adjective “courtesy”, used as a name or nickname in an affective or ironic way, referring to an educated, affable and well-mannered person.
In the context of Iberian history, the Jews, present in the peninsula before the arrival of the Romans, used to form their surnames in a similar way to the rest of the population of ancient Hispania. However, upon embracing Christianity to avoid expulsion, they changed their Hebrew names to Christian equivalents upon being baptized. The Cortés, therefore, present a diversity that also includes the Judeo-Sephardic people.
