Carballo - Origin of Name

Origin of Name

Carballo has many variations in spelling from Carvallo, Carbello, Caballero, Carvahlo, but due in part to illiteracy in early times. Surnames like Carballo transform in their pronunciation and spelling as they travel across villages, family branches, and countries over the years. In times when literacy was uncommon, names such as Carballo were written down based on their pronunciation when people's names were written in government records. This could have led to misspellings of Carballo. Researching misspellings and alternate spellings of the Carballo last name are important to understanding the possible origins of the name.

The Carballo Family, its Coat of Arms bears the Oak Tree. This Family settled in South, Central and North America as well as in Cuba and in the Caribbean Islands. This Family has a Marquis as well as a title of nobleman, thus establisihng nobility. Strong religious ties as well as in medical and in engineering. This family also has writers, poets and builders and sportsmen. The Carballo family has built/administered churches, missions, parks, shelters for people with little or no resources, and even administered the founding of Caracas. It has founded, and established many civil services throughout the world. The name Carballo is documented as far back as 759 AD. to Avilense Carballo along side, Morales, and Sebastian recorded by "Menendez Valdez, Miriano", There was a religious crusade with the Arch Bishop of Spain, the King of Spain and the country of Italy. First records found are that of early 16th century, starting with a military captain in the Spanish royal navy that for his leadership in a Spanish war was made Marquis. His name is Ferdinand Carballo.

The Carballo family began its travel to the Americas about the same time as Cristobal Colon aka Cristopher Columbus. One such figure is Juan Lopez Carballo, Sailing Master to Magellan, 1519. Carballo is recognized by the Spanish Royal Crown.

The Carballo Family Motto is "Upwards and Onwards", Derived from the Kingdom of Spain, "El Reino de España, “Plus Ultra” (Latin), translates to “Further Beyond”

The Carvallo name is the Lusitan form of the Galician name Carballo. Its origin is taxonomic and derived from the name of the place where one lived or the property owner was from and the founder of the lineage. Carvallo was taken directly from "Carballo", which was a place in the province of Lugo in Galicia. Hence, someone from that province was someone from Carballo. Carballo comes from the Portuguese word Carvalho, which means Oak. Therefore, this name means the place where the Oaks come from. In Portugal, Carvalho is also the name of a province in the district of Pe acova, within the Carvalho Mountains. In Spain, during the re-conquest years, the name Carballo was extended from Galicia to the peninsula and to the Canary Islands.

The Portuguese branch of the lineage is traced back to Bartolomeo Domingues de Carvalho, whose son Fernao Gomez de Carvalho was a military officer under the son of King Dinis of Portugal. One of the sons of Fernao, Gil Fernandes de Carvalho, was made a Nobleman in Spain as part of the Order of the Caballeros de Santiago. The shield of arms of the family can be described as follows: Three ostrich feathers on top of the navy blue shield. On the navy blue shield, there is one bright golden eight point star surrounded by eight white crescent moons.

Another important ancestor is Sebastião José de Carvalho e Mello, Marquês de Pombal (1699-1782), a Portuguese statesman, who was the virtual ruler of the country during the reign (1750–77) of Joseph Emanuel. Sebastião was born in Lisbon on May 13, 1699, and educated at the University of Coimbra. In 1738 he was appointed ambassador to London and seven years later was sent to Vienna in a similar capacity. In 1750 King Joseph appointed him minister of state, and he soon proved his administrative talents. When a devastating earthquake struck Lisbon in 1755, he organized the relief efforts and planned its rebuilding. He was made chief minister in 1756, and from then on his powers were practically absolute. Sebastião abolished slavery in Portugal, reorganized the educational system, and published a new code of laws. In addition he effected the reorganization of the army, the introduction of new colonists into the Portuguese settlements, and the establishment of an East India Company and other companies for trade with Brazil. Agriculture, commerce, and finances were all improved. The king made him a Marquis in 1770. Sebastião's power ended with the death of the king. Sebastião retired to Pombal, where he died on May 8, 1782.

The spelling of the name Carvallo, with a "v", lineage dates its origins back to Viscaya. During most recent findings, several members of this lineage sailed for the new world in the latter 19th century, arriving in countries like Chile, Argentina, Mexico, USA, and Venezuela. The lineage that established itself in Venezuela built roots in Caracas and Valencia. Most of the members of this lineage became businessmen, lawyers, politicians and economists. On the branch that settled itself in Valencia, it is worth mentioning that six members of the family have been Governors of the city and its state over the last 100 years.