Surname Chaves - Meaning and Origin

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Z. Chaves

Chaves: What does the surname Chaves mean?

Chaves is a surname of Spanish and Portuguese origin. It is derived from the family name Chavez, derived from the Spanish and Portuguese word chaves, meaning “keys”. Chaves is also the name of several towns and villages in Spain and Portugal.

The surname Chaves was first documented in the 11th century, in the mountain region of the south-central Spanish region of Castile and Leon. In 1290, a man named Juan Chaves received land in La Cabrera from his patron, the Lord of Segovia. From there, the illustrious Chaves family spread throughout Spain and Portugal.

Over the years, Chaves has been interpreted to mean several other things, including “the two locks”, “locks of heaven”, and even “God's locksmith”. Chaves has always been a proud and influential family in the communities they served in, often taking high-ranking public offices or becoming prominent professionals. They also distinguished themselves in the military, with several members of the Chaves family receiving honors of knighthood.

Today, though many of the Chaves family have spread around the world, they remain fiercely proud of their heritage and continue to contribute to their various nations at large through their accomplishments in the sciences, medicine, arts, and politics.

Chaves: Where does the name Chaves come from?

The last name Chaves is a common name in the Iberian Peninsula. It is particularly common in Portugal, Galicia, and Extremadura, where it ranks among the top 30 surnames. In fact, it was the tenth most common surname in the 2018 census in Portugal. Outside of Spain and Portugal, Chaves is also a popular surname in some countries in South and Central America, such as Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela. In Mexico, for example, Chaves is the 533rd most common surname.

The origin of the surname Chaves is believed to be from the Latin name "Calvus” which means bald. It is also thought to originate from a place called Chaves in the southern part of Portugal. Over time, the last name Chaves became part of many families who adopted the name as an unique identifier.

The diaspora caused by the Iberian Peninsula's complicated history explains the presence of the Chaves name in many parts of the world today. There is a Chaves Street in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, as well as various mentions of Chaves throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

Since the 19th century, many families with the last name Chaves migrated to other countries such as the United States, Canada, and England, where the Chaves family is today present and continue to share their term of origin. Beyond their native countries of Spain and Portugal, and the countries of Latin America where the last name is especially common, people who are members of the extended Chaves family can be found all over the world.

Variations of the surname Chaves

The surname Chaves originates from the Portuguese language and is thought to be derived from the Latin word ‘capere’ meaning to seize or take hold. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin of the surname Chaves include:

Chafe, Chafee, Chafey, Chaffe, Chavees, Chavez, Chave, Chavous, Chavaz, Chaivaz, Chavaz, Chavar, and Chaves.

The Chafe variation of the surname derives from the pronunciation of Chaves which is ‘Cha-vez’ . In Devon England a variant of this is ‘Chaffe’.

The Chavees variation of the surname can be seen in Germany, where it is thought that it's pronunciation became altered due to it’s roots in the Latin tongue.

The Chavez variation is thought to originate in Spain as a form of the innovative surnames used to distinguish new families. It’s popularity can be seen in Spanish-speaking countries due to it’s similarity in hand to the Spanish surnames Chávez.

The Chave variation has a long history in France due to it’s popularity as a grand sounding surname. It’s meaning in French is much the same as it’s meaning in Latin - ‘to seize’. Chave’s has been used in England since the Normen conquest and was popularized in France in the 13th century.

The Chavous, Chavaz, Chaivaz, Chavar, and Chaves variation of the surname is seen in mainland Europe, particularly in the former French colonies. It’s meaning is believed to derive from the Latin word ‘receptaculum’ meaning a receptacle. It is believed that the surname was used to distinguish families that held property for safe-keeping.

Famous people with the name Chaves

• Francisco de Chaves: A Spanish conquistador in the 17th Century who founded the cities of Caracas and La Guaira in the modern-day Venezuela.
• Ricardo Chaves: Brazilian actor and singer. He's most known for being the voice of Charlie Brown in the Brazilian dub of the popular cartoon Peanuts.
• Fabiana Chaves: Brazilian actress, best known for her roles in shows such as Daisy Motta Mais!, Amigos para Sempre and Avenida Brasil.
• Val Chaves: Brazilian singer, songwriter and guitarist. He founded the Brazilian rock group Metrô in 1975.
• Romtsch Chaves: Professional Argentine football player who currently plays for Newell's Old Boys.
• Bruno Chaves: Portuguese-Brazilian businessman, founder and CEO of Protestant Bank (Banco Protestant) in São Paulo, Brazil.
• Mar aggro Chaves: Spanish music producer, DJ, and owner of Run Music Records.
• Alfredo Chaves: Brazilian artist, sculptor, photographer, and designer.
• Phara Chaves: Brazilian actress who has been in several telenovelas such as Chocolate com Pimenta and Geração Summer.
• José Chaves: The 23rd governor of New Mexico from 2001: 2004.

Other surnames

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