Alvarado

From Namespedia - Names Meaning and Origins

Name: Alvarado

Gender: Names have no gender

Location: Spain

Language: Spanish

Thematic: Popular Culture

Meaning: the Logged (bridge)

Comments: Various Spanish authors have confirmed what Spanish historian Lope Garcia de Salazar wrote in the mid 700s that the surname had its beginning in the area of Trasmiera, in a place named Secadura. The following is a free translation of what the historian wrote in Old Spanish : "The lineage of Varado (or Alvarado) has its foundation in Secadura where there was a good man named Pedro Secadura who made much money and treasure, and left a son named as his father, and much treasure he left, and he married the daughter of Martin Velas de Rada who was an honest man, and he had with her sons, of which were Fernando Sanchez del Varado and Juan Sanchez del Varado, and they took that name because Pedro de Secadura had a house on the other side of the river and he made a bridge with some huge timber boards and he placed logs (varas) from side to side so that those who would cross could lean on them, and due to those logs (varas) it was called Varado although they were first called Secadura."