Baybayin is an old writing script used in the Philippines before 1600. This script was used to write languages, such as Ilocano, Pangasinan, Tagalog, and Bisaya, and is of great cultural significance to the Philippine people. Today, Baybayin is being revived through Philippine art, books, calligraphy, and more.
Surnames in the Philippines
Some modern Philippine families have a Spanish-influenced given name or surname that dates back to the Spanish colonization in 1565. Before the Spanish colonization, Filipinos likely used only one name.
In 1849, the Spanish issued the Claveria Decree to assign surnames to any Filipinos who didn’t already have one. A copy of a catalog titled Catálogo alfabético de apellidos listed 61,000 Spanish surnames, and a copy was given to each "barangay" (a Filipino village, district, or ward). A set of surnames was assigned to that barangay, and the local officials would assign one to family heads who did not already have one.
Some families were able to keep their indigenous surnames, but others chose or were assigned a Spanish surname from the list. Because the list was alphabetical, it is not uncommon to find many families in the same area with surnames beginning with letters near the front of the alphabet. It is important to note that while some Filipino families have Spanish surnames, they may not have Spanish ancestry.
Common Filipino Given Names in Baybayin Script
Common Filipino Surnames in Baybayin Script
Learn More about Your Filipino Surname
You and your family can learn more about where your surname originated from, translate your name to Baybayin script, and create a one-of-kind piece of artwork for your family history—all for free with the FamilySearch Baybayin Surname Discovery page! Just type in your surname, and see it written in Baybayin script.
In addition to learning what your surname looks like in Baybayin, you can download and print the image of the script as a keepsake of your genealogy. You can also learn whether your surname was listed in the Catálogo alfabético de apellidos, whether FamilySearch has genealogical records for your surname, and how many other Filipinos share your last name. Your heritage is the most important part of your history. Be sure to share it with your loved ones!
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