Abstract:

Tracing the origins of surnames reveal more than familial affinity. Names are records and repositories of histories, contacts, movements, heritage, trade, and occupations; and they also mark individuality and group membership. This paper attempted to trace and categorize some Filipino surnames by using various Philippine dictionaries to track their probable ethnolinguistic source and etymological pathways. In the etymological archaeology of these surnames, the main challenges encountered were: (1) some roots have varying meanings across languages; (2) homonymity can sometimes leave the research in doubt; (3) the structural complexity of some forms owing to the agglutinative character of Philippine languages; and (4) some forms underwent phonological or orthographic changes. Because of these challenges, some surnames kept their stories hidden, hoping to be revisited. In the study of Filipino last names, various Philippine dictionaries were consulted to identify the components and meanings of these surnames which resulted in a fascinating discovery of a people’s precolonial culture history and recent histories of contact and colonization.