Frequency: (379)
(number of times this surname appears in a sample database of 88.7 million names, representing one third of the 1997 US population)
1. Catalan (Valès): respelling of Catalan Vallès (see Valles).
2. Galician: habitational name from any of the places called Vales in Galicia, or topographic name from the plural of Galician val ‘valley’.
3. Czech (Valeš): from a pet form of the personal name Valentin (see Valentine).
GIVEN NAMES: Spanish 10%. Jose (5), Carlos (2), Ricardo (2), Abilio, Agustin, Aldina, Arturo, Diego, Gonzalez, Jorge, Josefina, Juan Francisco.
See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.
