Perez is a very common surname in Spanish-speaking countries, including Colombia. However, in this South American nation, there is a unique place closely tied to this name: Los Perez, a small town in the municipality of Sampues.
Nestled in the warm savannas of the department of Sucre, in northern Colombia, this small village—seemingly plucked from the pages of a magical realism novel—is in fact named Los Perez.
The name leaves no room for confusion, as its peculiarity has drawn the attention of curious visitors, anthropologists, genealogists, and journalists: roughly 85% of its residents share the same surname—Perez.
Los Perez, the town in Colombia where everyone’s a Perez
At first glance, the town doesn’t look much different from other rural communities in Colombia’s Caribbean region. Dusty streets, houses with faded colors, the distant sound of vallenato drifting through open windows, and barefoot children chasing a soccer ball.
But a quick chat with the residents quickly reveals something extraordinary. “Nice to meet you—my name is Ana Perez,” says a woman in the town square.
The shopkeeper is Jorge Perez, the schoolteacher is Elias Perez, and the mototaxi driver introduces himself as Darwin Perez. Soon, it becomes clear that you need to pay close attention to avoid getting lost among so many Perez.
Today, roughly 1,300 of the town’s 1,500 inhabitants share the surname “Perez.”
The Spanish surname Perez has a patronymic origin, derived from the proper name Pedro, very common in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. The suffix “-ez” means “son of,” so Perez literally means “son of Pedro.”
This type of surname formation was common in medieval Castilian society, reflecting paternal filiation. Perez is one of the most frequent surnames in Spain and in Latin American countries due to colonization.
Its use was consolidated between the 12th and 15th centuries, when surnames began to become hereditary and essential for personal and legal identification.
Jose Iginio Perez, founder of the saga in Los Perez, Colombia
The town’s history dates back to the late 19th century. According to oral tradition and municipal records, the origin of Los Perez traces back to a man named Jose Inginio Perez Tuiran, who worked on the Loarazo estate.
In 1909, he decided to relocate with his wife, Bartolina Garay Barrios, to be closer to the farm where he worked. There, they had 10 children—though oral accounts suggest there may have been as many as 20—who grew up, married, and began to ‘multiply’ the local population bearing the Pérez surname.
He settled on a small plot near the San Jorge River and gradually acquired more land, building a large family with several women from the region.
“They say Don Jose Iginio had over twenty acknowledged children,” explains local historian Jose Alfredo Perez, who is, of course, also a member of the sprawling clan. “And his children were equally prolific. That’s how the surname kept spreading until the town eventually adopted the founding family’s name.”
Though the story carries hints of legend, parish and notarial records confirm the Perez surname has dominated the area for over a century.
Even in the local cemetery archives, over 90% of the tombstones bear the same surname, underscoring the remarkable degree of familial homogeneity in the population.
A community with its own identity in Colombia
What might seem like a mere curiosity to some is a source of pride for the residents of Los Perez. “Here, everyone is family, one way or another,” says the township’s mayor, Hector Perez, with a smile. “That makes us supportive. When someone has a problem, the whole town comes together to help. We feel like part of something bigger.”
The sense of community in Los Perez is strong. The patron saint festivals honoring San Jose are organized collectively by committees involving entire families. Major decisions are made in community assemblies, and conflicts are typically resolved through mediation by elders, most of whom also share the Perez surname.
However, this homogeneity has also brought challenges. The most obvious is the issue of relationships. In such an insular community, avoiding relationships between cousins or close relatives has become a delicate matter. “We know we can’t rely just on the last name anymore,” says a local young woman, laughing. “Here, you have to do your research before falling in love.”
The challenge of genealogy and administration
Those in charge of civil records and public administration face their own difficulties. At the local school, for example, there are several classes where over 80% of students share the same surname. Teachers must identify students by their first names or nicknames.
“The first time I taught here, I thought I’d lose my mind,” says teacher Laura Gomez, one of the few outsiders living in the town, chuckling. “I’d tell Perez to be quiet, and everyone would turn to look at me.”
A similar situation occurs at the health center. Doctors must be extremely careful with medical records to avoid mixing up patients.
“We use ID numbers and middle names to guide us, but we always triple-check before adding anything to a patient’s file,” explains the head nurse.
Despite its apparent isolation, Los Perez is not stuck in the past. Many of its young people study in Sincelejo or Monteria, and several have moved to Bogota or abroad, proudly carrying their surname like a banner.
Some have even launched social media campaigns to share the town’s story, sparking interest among curious tourists and documentarians.
In 2023, a team of anthropologists from a European university visited the region to study the social and genetic effects of inbreeding in closed communities like this one.
Their research is ongoing, but they’ve already noted that despite the concentration of the Perez surname, genetic diversity isn’t as low as expected—thanks to new residents joining the community in recent decades.
A future under the same surname
Today, Los Perez remains a symbol of collective identity, memory, and belonging. Its residents, though aware of their unique circumstances, see no need for change.
“Some people mock us or see us as odd, but we’re happy as we are,” says Rosa Perez, matriarch of a family of twelve, firmly. “Here, we all know each other, look out for one another, and show respect. That matters more than any surname.”
In a country where social divisions and territorial conflicts have left deep scars, Los Perez stands as an exception: a place where a shared surname doesn’t divide but unites. Where everyone is, quite literally, part of the same family. And where, despite the changes of the modern world, being a Perez remains a point of pride.