Surname Ribes - Meaning and Origin

Ribes: What does the surname Ribes mean?

The surname Ribes is of Catalan origin, primarily found in the Catalonia region of Spain. It was derived from a place name, specifically from the Catalan word "ribes" which refers to "riverbanks" or "riverside". It is also linked to a group of plants known as "Ribes", including currants and gooseberries. Therefore, it could originally have indicated a person living near a riverbank, or by the side of a planting area of Ribes' species, or it could be a toponymic surname referring to several towns named Ribes in Catalonia. Like most surnames, the exact implication might vary based on individuals and family histories. As such, the surname Ribes usually carries historical significance, familial lineage and geographic roots from the Catalonia region in Spain.

Ribes: Where does the name Ribes come from?

The last name Ribes is most commonly found today in Spain, France, and Latin America. In Spain, the name is most common in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, and is of Catalan origin. In France, the surname is more common in the Occitane region, in which the name is derived from the Occitan language. In Latin America, the last name is particularly common in Argentina, Chile, El Salvador, and Mexico. It is also present in the United States in cities and states with a large Hispanic population, particularly California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

Ribes is a patronymic, meaning the given name of the original bearer’s father. The roots of the name are pre-Roman, derived from the old Occitan name Riuer. It is likely that the family share a common ancestor, who would have resided in the part of Occitane known as Bigorre in the Middle Ages. As was customary, at this time people mostly took surnames derived from their father’s first name.

Today, the most common first names that are combined with Ribes are Manuel, Emilio, Antonio, Marcos, Joseph, Francisco, and Pere. These are all traditional Hispanic names, though more modern versions such as Jacobo, Luis, David, and Lucas are also in use.

Variations of the surname Ribes

Ribes is a common name in Spanish-speaking, French-speaking, and Portugese-speaking countries, and it is of Latin origin. It may be spelled 'Ribes', 'Ribez', 'Ribe', or 'Ribez', depending on the language in which it is written. Surnames derived from the Latin term 'Ribes' may include Ribas, Ribazai, Ribera, Ribeiro, and Ribeiro da Silva.

In Spain, the most common spellings are Ribes and Ribas. Ribez and Riba are also seen, particularly in areas that have a high number of immigrants from Latin American countries. Ribe is particularly common in Portugal. The surname Ribera is typically used in Colombia and Venezuela, while Ribazai is used in Argentina and Uruguay. Ribeiro and Ribeiro da Silva are the most common variations of the surname in Brazil.

Regional and cultural variations on the surname Ribes may also exist in other countries. In France, Ribeyre, Ribeyre de Bort, and Ribois are common variations of the surname. Meanwhile, in Italy, the surname is commonly written as Ribelle, Ribelli, and Ribelli da San Remo.

In the United States, the surname Ribes is often Anglicized to Reeves and Riva. It can also be found as an Americanized version of other related surnames, such as Rivas, Rivera, and Ribeiro.

Famous people with the name Ribes

• Joan Ribes, Spanish actor and film director
• Marc Ribes, Spanish comedian and television presenter
• Alberto Ribes, Spanish former politician
• Jaume Ribes, Spanish playwright and theatre director
• Polona Rupar Ribes, Slovene accommodating conductor and music programmer
• Mercedes Ribes, Spanish hurdler
• Alex Ribes, Spanish former footballer
• Sergio Ribes, Spanish entrepreneur and prisoner rights advocate
• Javi Ribes, Spanish TV writer
• Jordi Ribera Ribes, Spanish lawyer and current Inspector of the Spanish Army
• Estève Ribes de Cebrià, Spanish professional ski mountaineer
• Sílvia Ribes de Porta, Spanish historian and current Professor of Medieval and Modern History
• Vicenta Ribes de Palol, Spanish lawyer and entrepreneur
• Alberto Ribes Brito, Spanish business professor
• Josep Ribes Perelló, Spanishica's brief summary The colonization of the Americas was one of the most significant events in the history of humanity. The period began with Christopher Columbus's ‘discovery’ of the ‘New World’ in 1492 and marked a time of incredible social, cultural, and ecological transformation of much of the western hemisphere. Though Spanish and Portuguese settlers were largely the early wave of colonizers, other Europeans began to arrive in the later 16th century. The colonization era brought many changes to the indigenous population of the Americas, from the impact of diseases to which they had no immunity to massive population decline and relocation of Native Americans to new areas. The native populations were pushed out, experienced great disruption of their communities and cultures, and, in some cases, were even enslaved. Colonization also brought the trans-Atlantic slave trade, which brought millions of African slaves to the Americas as well. Colonization is seen as a root cause of the oppression and dispossession of Native Americans and African Americans that has continued to this day.

Other surnames

RibeiraRibeiroRibelRibesam