The surname archive · O Ribeiro
González
Ribadavia · Cartelle · Castrelo de Miño
The González Surname in O RibeiroImagined Galician landscape · Original illustration
History
The González Surname in O Ribeiro
González is the third most common surname in Ourense Province, with 176,002 occurrences across 314 municipalities. A patronymic from "Gonzalo" — derived from the Germanic Gundisalvus, meaning "battle genius" — the name has deep roots in the medieval kingdoms of northwestern Iberia, where Gonzalo was one of the most popular given names among the Galician-Leonese nobility.
In the Ribeiro wine region, González shows a particularly strong presence in Ribadavia (786 bearers, 7.12%) and Cenlle (273 bearers, 8.53%), making it the dominant surname in the Cenlle census. Castrelo de Miño holds 256 bearers (6.26%) and Cartelle 356 (4.89%). Notably, the González surname does not appear in any Ribadavia Inquisition trial records, though it shows a 6.3% frequency in Portuguese Inquisition records.
Within the Alvarez family tree, González members are concentrated in the Castrelo de Miño branch, representing 7.69% of documented family members from that municipality.
- Rank
- #3
- Total in Ourense
- 176,002
- Percentage
- 3.46%
- Municipalities
- 314
| Municipality | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Ribadavia | 786 | 7.12% |
| Cartelle | 356 | 4.89% |
| Cenlle | 273 | 8.53% |
| Castrelo de Miño | 256 | 6.26% |
| Leiro | 236 | 6.02% |
| Arnoia, A | 107 | 4.35% |
| Beade | 41 | 3.56% |
Family connections
Presence in the Alvarez Family Tree
González family members connect to the Alvarez genealogy primarily through the Castrelo de Miño branch.
- Castrelo de Miño
- 87.7% of family members
Historical records
Inquisition Records
The González surname is absent from Ribadavia Inquisition records but appears in 6.3% of Portuguese Inquisition records, suggesting different historical patterns on either side of the border.
- Portugal trials
- 6.30%