Origin of Restrepo

The Restrepo name is shared by many around the world particularly dense in regions where Spanish is the primary language such as Columbia, Spain, and several other Central American countries.

A name that seldom goes un-mispronounced by United Statians, has long been one of nobility, political power and in more recent times even garnered a motion picture detailing the final days of a brave American soldier who tragically lost his life to the Afghanistan war.

But, what does it mean? Where is it from? What is the common link that connects all of us scattered Restrepo's into one unified and proud being?

Well lets take a trip in the way back machine to the later portion of the Roman Empire when Latin was going out of fashion and a more colloquial form of the language referred to as Vulgar Latin (first recognized around the 8th century) was catching on among citizens and taking on a life of its own.

Asturias a region in Northern Spain, known in history as the grounds of the beginning of the end for The Moors who would soon be defeated ending a 700 year rule of the region and the threat of a potentially Islamic Europe, was also the humble birth place of our storied namesake.

Serving for a short period as a sanctuary for Christians during times of Islamic persecution, a kingdom was erected in the area and soon transformed into a community tucked off deep in unreachable mountains and unconcerned about attacks from con-questing foes.

As populations were able to settle and flourish, several groups would come to associate themselves with useful titles pertaining to their areas of expertise. One group in particular, known for its immense skills in cultivation, took to a town and named it Restrepo, which roots from Latin Vulgar word restrepar; meaning to cultivate.

So there you have it, we started from humble farm people and made it all the way to the tops of the food chains, or at least somewhere around there... 

If you are a Restrepo, now you know why!!!

Drink To That