Torres Surname: Origin and Coat of Arms
What does Torres mean, and where does it come from? Here is a brief introduction.
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Origin of the Torres name
Torres is a Spanish and Portuguese habitational surname meaning "towers", from Latin turris. It was taken from one of the many places called Torres, or given to a family living near a fortified tower. Long established across Castile, Andalusia and Aragon, it spread widely throughout Latin America and the Philippines.
Torres around the world
Torres is the plural of torre, "tower", from Latin turris. It is a habitational name taken from one of several towns called Torres in Spain and Portugal, or from living by a fortified tower, and it is shared by Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan speakers.
The figures are large. Forebears estimates over a million bearers in Mexico, about 401,000 in Colombia and 236,000 in Peru, and the 2010 US Census counted 437,813 people named Torres, ranking it 37th in the United States. Wikipedia adds that it is found as a Sephardic surname in Italy. Footballer Fernando Torres and swimmer Dara Torres are two of many well-known bearers.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Torres name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Torres name in Spain. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as Mexico, Colombia and the Philippines; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Torres family history
Your full Torres pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Torres coat of arms for you.
Torres name FAQ
What does the Torres name mean?
Towers. Common variants include Torre, De Torres, Torrez.
Where does the Torres surname come from?
It originates in Spain, and is also found in Mexico, Colombia and the Philippines.
Is there a Torres coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Torres crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Torres coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
What does Torres mean?
"Towers". The surname usually comes from a place named Torres or from a home near a tower.
Is Torres Spanish or Portuguese?
Both, and it is Catalan as well; the word is spelled the same in all three languages.
Explore the Torres name further
Two companion pages go further: Torres family history and genealogy, with the records to search, and famous people named Torres.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Roberto Faure, MarÃa Asunción Ribes & Antonio GarcÃa, Diccionario de apellidos españoles (Espasa, 2001); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford). Facts and figures: Forebears surname distribution (estimates); US Census Bureau, 2010 surname file; Wikipedia, "Torres (surname)". Forebears figures are modelled estimates, rounded.