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what does Torralba mean

hello everyone. okay, my name, if you've seen my profile, is Ariana Torralba. I'm native american and a little columbian. My last name from what I've learned is spanish(Spain not Mexico). Here's the question: does anyone out there know exactly what Torralba means? My older brother has asked some people who claim they know but they won't tell him. i've tried looking it up too. so if anyone knows, could you tell me please. thank you.

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    anagirlanagirl profile picture Apr 28, 2009 @ 21:22

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  thank you so much, that's a lot more helpful for me. thank you




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    anagirlanagirl profile picture Apr 29, 2009 @ 16:48

      Hi, Ariana.

      From the time the Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula and especially until "the Reconquest" of what is known today as Spain under the Catholic Kings (the time of the expulsion of Jews and Muslims - XV - XVII centuries), Spain had seen itself full of towers - a necessary device for defense and for placing boundaries/limits between the enemies. Etymologycally, "Torralba" comes from "turris" (tower in Latin) and "alba" (white in Latin). As a logical result,  "Torralba" means white tower. Much time has passed from then but, still today, the towers keep forming part of the Spanish villages and historical sites although many of them do not keep their original structure. As it is usual, distinctive geographical icons become toponyms (names that referr to certain places - cities, villages, etc.), and usually those toponyms give way to last names. What is pretty certain (at least, it is the most logical assumption) is that your ancestors have gone across "el charco" towards the Americas carrying a last name originated from a certain place called Torralba or, at least, your ancestors were related somehow to a place or people very close to a Torralba. In Spain, we have more than a dozen villages called Torralba all across the country if you really want to know where your last name comes from, then you have to figure out with the help of your family members, at which spot(s) of the Americas your ancestors reached first when they crossed the Atlantic Ocean. You have mentioned that you have some Colombian ancestry I don't know if you can, but it would be great if you figure out if your ancestor(s) have reached first Mexico or has gone directly to Colombia. A very difficult task if not impossible, but the study of heraldry (heraldía) could certainly help and also contacting family members who are in Colombia (not an easy task, I know) in order to trace back your ancestry. Well, I hope that this explanation could give you a hint of the next steps you may take, if not now - later in your life.

      All the best from Spain,

      Linguist11




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        linguist11linguist11 profile picture Apr 28, 2009 @ 22:13