Meaning of the surname Álvarez
Álvarez is a Spanish surname of the patronymic type meaning "son of Álvaro". It is one of the 50 most common surnames in Mexico. Meaning of Álvaro is uncertain. Twenty-seventh in Mexico.
About this meaning. The etymology is uncertain or the popular reading is folk etymology. The page gives the best-supported explanation.
Formed from a father's given name with the suffix -ez, -es, or -iz, meaning 'son of'. Hernández is the son of Hernando, Martínez the son of Martín. About half of the most common Mexican surnames are patronymics.
In Mexico a person carries two surnames, the father's and then the mother's, so Álvarez appears as either half of a pair: Álvarez García, López Álvarez. Read how the two-surname system works.