Spanish surnames are family names used in Spanish-speaking countries with origins in the Iberian peninsula. Like in many other cultures, Spanish surnames may be patronymic, geographic, occupational, or descriptive. In Spanish and other Iberian cultures, people typically use two surnames: a paternal surname and a maternal surname.
History of Spanish surnames
Surnames came into use in the Iberian peninsula around the 12th century. Like in many other cultures, they were adopted to help differentiate between individuals, and started out as patronymics: surnames derived from the name of the individual’s father. Over time, other forms of surnames came into use, including geographic, occupational, or descriptive surnames.
Patronymic or matronymic: A surname derived from one’s father or mother. Sometimes, the name was left as it was (such as Andrés or Martín). Other times, a suffix was added, such as -ez, -az, -is, or -oz (as in Pérez — son of Pedro — or Martínez, son of Martín).
Geographic: A surname derived from a region or place associated with the individual, such as Guzmán (from the town of Guzmán in Burgos, Spain) or Fonseca (meaning “dry spring,” given to someone who lived near a dry spring). A Spanish geographic name might include the prefix “de,” meaning “of,” such as “de León” (“of León”) or “de la Fuente” (“of the fountain”).
Occupational: A surname derived from the person’s occupation, such as Botello (“maker of bottles”) or Guerrero (“warrior”).
Descriptive: A surname that describes a unique feature of the individual, such as Cabello (“hair” — a nickname for a person with a lot of hair) or Moreno (“dark”).
Naming conventions
In modern Spain, all citizens are legally required to have two surnames. Spanish citizens usually inherit their first surname from their fathers and their second from their mothers, though modern laws allow this order to be switched if desired.
So for example, if a man named José García López and a woman named María Romero Pérez have a daughter and call her Beatriz, her legal name would most likely be Beatriz García Romero. If Beatriz marries a man named Juan Martín Fernandez and they have a child, his name might be Pablo Martín García. This means that if Pablo wants to research his great-grandparents, he’ll have 16 surnames to research rather than just 8!
The practice of having both a paternal and a maternal surname began in the upper classes in 16th century Castile, but it wasn’t mainstream until the 1800s. Naming patterns at the time were inconsistent — children might take their mother’s name or their father’s. That’s important to keep in mind when researching Spanish ancestors who lived earlier than the 19th century.
Most popular Spanish surnames and their origins
- Garcia: the most common Spanish surname is Garcia. It originated in the north-central Spanish region of Castile, and was first used to denote a person from the city of Granada. The name Garcia comes from the Latin word for "oak," and was likely chosen as a surname by someone who lived near an oak tree.
- Martinez: Another common Spanish surname is Martinez. This name originated in the Spanish province of Navarre, and was originally given to people who were born in the town of Martinez. The name Martinez comes from the Latin word for "Mars," the Roman god of war.
- Rodriguez: Rodriguez is derived from the Latin word for "red," and was likely given to someone with red hair or a red complexion.
- Fernandez: Fernandez comes from the Latin word for "iron," and was likely given to someone who worked with iron or had a strong build. Lopez is derived from the Latin word for "wolf," and was likely given to someone who had characteristics associated with wolves, such as being fierce or loyal.
- Sanchez: Sánchez is a patronymic surname of Spanish origin. Its meaning is "son of Sancho", like other similar surnames and patronymics such as González, Martínez or Fernández mean "son of Gonzalo", "of Martín" or "of Fernando".
Top locations for Spanish surnames
Spanish surnames are most common in the Iberian peninsula, in Latin America, and in other areas that were once controlled by Spain. They are commonly found in countries such as:
- Spain
- Mexico
- Venezuela
- Puerto Rico
- Portugal
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Dominican Republic
- Guatemala
- Argentina
- Chile
- Uruguay
Celebrities with Spanish surnames
Ethnicities of top Spanish surnames
People with Spanish surnames are likely to have Iberian ethnic origins.
Explore more about Spanish genealogy
- Spain Migration to the Americas 1880-1930 record collection at MyHeritage
- Bilbao Diocese Catholic Parish Records 1501-1900 record collection at MyHeritage
- Biscay Baptisms record collection at MyHeritage
- Spain Marriages 1565-1950 record collection at MyHeritage
- Girona Municipal Census at MyHeritage
- Valencia Municipal Census 1857-1935 record collection at MyHeritage
- Spanish Names: The Origins of Spanish Given Names and Surnames at MyHeritage Blog
- How To Find Out If Your Ancestors Were Conversos at MyHeritage Knowledge Base