Where does “Cervantes” come from?

Cervantes, the Spanish surname, derives from Spanish ciervo (deer), from Latin cervus (deer), from Proto-Indo-European ḱerh₂wós, formed with the Proto-Indo-European suffix -wós.

Ancestry of “Cervantes”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Spanish	Cervantes	—
2	Old Spanish	servanto	—
3	Latin	serviēns	—
4	Latin	serviō	—
5	Latin	servus	a servant; a serf; a slave
6	Proto-Italic	serwos	guardian
7	Proto-Indo-European	ser-wo-s	guardian
8	Proto-Indo-European	ser-	to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ser- →

Cervantes — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer