hidalgo (n.)

"Spanish nobleman of secondary rank," 1590s, from Spanish hidalgo, from Old Spanish fidalgo, usually explained as a shortened from filho de algo "son" (Latin filius, see filial) "of someone" (Latin aliquis, ultimately from PIE root *al- "beyond" + PIE pronomial root *kwo-); this is perhaps an imitation of Arabic ibn-nas "son of people," a complimentary title. For alteration of f- and h- in Spanish, see hacienda.