What is "xuereb"

Xuereb is a Maltese surname.

The Xuereb surname is quoted by author Charles A. Gauci in his book The Genealogy and Heraldry of the Noble Families of Malta. The author writes that the earliest references of this family go back to 1517 with Tommeo Xuereb mentioned as "Nobile" or "Noble".

Gauci gives us also the Coat of Arms of the family, but tracing the origin of the name is very difficult, even if we have some indication for the name to be of Central European origin. Although it is not excluded that its origins are from Spanish Xueres or Suarez or North African Xwarib.

The fact that the Coat of Arms shows two Moors' heads could also signify that the Xuerebs distinguished themselves in the fighting against the Muslims, participating to the crusades: this fact would give to this family a much earlier origin.