Originally from Ibero-visigothic words joining together. The origin of the surname appears first in the very north of the Iberian peninsula in the region of Asturias in the 7th century. 'Iba' a name going back to proto-spanish for 'river' as a geographical where warriors would rush to assemble by the river to defend their lands, having retreated from central and northern parts of the spanish peninsula, as the Moors advanced across the peninsula. 'ez' is the addition to the family name as 'son of', introduced by the visigoths who moved into the region after a period being romanised in Gaul (40 years) and the Pope's blessing.The visigoths introduced the use of surnames to europe. Hence Ibanez literary means son of the river. We see other names which are both Spanish and Visgothic today which finishes with 'ez' eg. Gonzalez (guten tag). The romans coined the land as Iberia on the peninsula and around present day Georgia which means the land between two rivers. It originally meant the land between the river Ebro in Spain and the Rhone in France. Gradually it became as what we know it today. Today in the basque language still retain the name 'iba' for river. Which is itself a proto-spanish and Iberian genesis.
(Sent from: victor ibanez)
