There is a debate going on in my family about the origins of the New World Arroyo's. Many hispanos in the 16th century were refugees from the Spanish Inquisition, which in modern language was ethnic cleansing. Adult Spanish Jews were put to death and their children were forced to convert to Catholicism. Trying to hold onto a Jewish identity forced many to become crypto or hidden Jews. Not wanting to take true Christian names many conversos choice earth names (Arroyo, Luna), the names of places (Cordova, Trujillo) or the names of things (Perea, Manos). I suspect that the first Arroyos to land in the Caribbean were first generation Christians.

I have had cousins become outright hostile to this idea - too anti Semitic to even consider it. I am not religious, Christian or Jewish so I am not threatened by this historical possibility. I am curious as to the reaction of others on this line.

By the way - my family has a lot of the physical characteristics of Moranos - or Spanish Jews