Meaning & History
Roxas is a Filipino surname that originated as a local form of the Spanish surname Rojas. The spelling with “x” reflects an archaic Spanish orthography when the letter x represented the sound /x/ (like the “j” in modern Spanish). This was introduced to the Philippines through the Catálogo alfabético de apellidos, a list of surnames distributed to Filipino families in the mid-19th century under Spanish colonial rule.
The root of these names is Rojo, a Spanish word meaning “red”, originally given as a nickname for someone with red hair or a ruddy complexion. Rojas is the plural or feminine form of Rojo.
Distribution and Notable Bearers
Roxas is widely found in the Philippines, and also appears as a place name: it names the capital city of Capiz province, a municipality in Isabela, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, and many smaller barangays. The surname is famously borne by Manuel Roxas (1892–1948), the first President of the independent Republic of the Philippines, as well as by his grandson Mar Roxas, a former senator and Secretary of the Interior and Local Government.
Related Surnames
Other surnames with similar red-related meanings in other languages include English Russel and Russell (from the French for “reddish”), French Leroux, Roux, Rousseau, and Roussel. While they share color symbolism, Roxas is distinct in its specifically Filipino phonetic spelling adapted from Spanish.
- Meaning: Red (originally a nickname for someone with red hair or ruddy complexion)
- Origin: Spanish, via Filipino adaptation of Rojas (from Rojo)
- Type: Surname
- Usage regions: Philippines (especially Western Visayas); also as place names throughout provinces.
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Roxas