Where Does the De Santos Surname Come From?

The last name De Santos is one of the recorded forms of Santos, a well-known Spanish family name. The De in front of the name is a particle that was often added to Santos in records. Surname dictionaries give the meaning as “Saints”. Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them.

Other spellings include Santtos and Dos Santos.

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Santos surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. Want more than a summary? See the De Santos family name pack.