Moroccan-Origin Surnames Reveal Alicante’s Rich Arab Heritage

While surnames like Pérez, Sánchez, López or Rodríguez dominate the province, others, with more exotic sounds, tell a different story.

"Alcaraz" is undoubtedly the most widespread Moroccan-origin surname in Alicante, writes the newspaper El Espagñol. With 32,000 bearers across Spain, it is mainly concentrated in the regions of Alicante, Murcia and Albacete. Its etymology goes back to the city of Alcazarquivir (Ksar El Kebir) in Morocco, a symbol of the Arab presence on the Iberian peninsula.

Identifying an Arab-origin name is not always easy. However, certain clues can put us on the right track. The prefix "Al", present in many names like "Alcalá", "Almeida" or "Alcázar", is a distinctive element.

Alicante itself derives its name from the Arabic word "Al-Laqant", meaning "the city of light".

Beyond surnames, the Spanish language also bears the indelible mark of Arab influence. Words like "almohada" (pillow), "ajedrez" (chess), "cifra" (figure), "guitarra" (guitar) or "naranja" (orange) are concrete examples.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of names of Moroccan origin:

Abad, Abdó, Abengoa, Abril, Aguilar, Álamo, Albarracín, Alcalá, Alcántara, Alcázar, Alcaraz, Alguacil, Alicante, Almansa, Almeida, Aranda, Barahona, Barroso, Benarroch, Benavides, Benegas, Benjumea, Benítez, Bermejo, Bono, Buendía, Cabrero, Castillo, Cebrián, Cid, Cordobés, Cortés, Gálvez, Gazul, Granadino,