Ramirez

This famous name recorded as Reinmer, Remer, Reijmers, Reymers, and the Spanish Ramirez and Remirez, is of pre 5th century German origins. It derives from the original given name 'Raginmari' consisting of the separate elements 'ragin' meaning wise or counsel, and 'mari' - famous. The reason why the name as 'Ramirez' is found in the Spanish peninsula, where it is one of the regions most popular surnames, is that in the year 410 a,d, the German tribe known as the 'Vizigoths' swept down from northern Europe, destroying as they went the Roman Empire which stretched down into Spain. As a result for several centuries the Vizigoths held onto Spain, and amongst the reminders of their stay are the prominent Spanish surnames Ramirez and Gonzales, as well as many others. Early examples of the surname recordings taken from authentic registers of the period, include Johannes Reimer of Lubbeck, Germany, in the year 1317, Martin Reymer of the state of Pommerania, Germany, in 1435, and Justa Ramirez, of Berbinzana, in the province of Navarra, Spain, in 1584. Later examples are those of Garzia Remirez, also of Navarra, where the name in its various spellings, seems to have been particularly popular, and Mesa Ramirez of Alhendin, province of Granada, Spain, on January 8th 1747. The coat of arms has the distinctive blazon of per pale, red and silver, three fleur de lis, two and one, counterchanged. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Johann Reimers, which was dated 1293, in the charters of the city of Bremen, Germany, during the reign of Emperor Adolph 1, of the German Empire, 1292 - 1298. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.