Uruguayan Surnames

Uruguayan surnames are those carried by individuals or descendants of those who lived in the territory known today as the Oriental Republic of Uruguay. They reflect the country's historic immigration history, colonial roots, and cultural legacy. Uruguay's naming practices, like those of other Latin American countries, are heavily inspired by Spanish conventions; nonetheless, the country's unique historical trajectory; in particular its waves of European immigration, has formed a distinct surname landscape.

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History of Uruguayan surnames

Uruguay was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples, such as the Charrúa. Spanish colonization began in the early 17th century, and the area was later contested by both the Spanish and Portuguese empires. Uruguay received major immigration from Europe, mainly Spain and Italy, following its independence in 1828. As a result, the majority of Uruguayans now have surnames of Spanish or Italian origin, however surnames from other European nations such as Germany, France, and Portugal are also common. The impact of this immigration is seen in the variety of surnames found in Uruguayan genealogy records. While Spanish surnames remain prevalent, Italian surnames such as Rossi, De Luca, and Bianchi are common, especially among families that settled in Montevideo and other urban areas in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Uruguayan naming conventions

Like the rest of the Spanish-speaking countries, Uruguay follows traditional Spanish naming practices, with people often carrying two surnames: one from their father (apellido paterno) and one from their mother (apellido materno). For instance, Juan Pérez Rodríguez would have Pérez as his paternal surname and Rodríguez as his maternal surname. In practice, most Uruguayans only use their first surname in casual circumstances. These practices are useful in genealogical research because they frequently preserve both paternal and maternal lineages throughout generations.

Surname variations in Uruguayan surnames

Uruguayans of non-Hispanic origins, like those from many other immigrant countries, occasionally changed their surnames for convenience of pronunciation or integration. For example, German surnames such as Schmidt may appear as Esmit or Smidt, while Slavic names may be truncated or Hispanicized to conform to local traditions. These surnames often underwent phonetic changes or simplifications upon arrival in Uruguay, depending on the literacy of immigrants and the flexibility of local recordkeepers. Furthermore, marrying between persons of different ethnicities resulted in unique surname combinations, especially in larger cities where immigrant populations were most active.

Common Uruguayan surnames

The most common surnames in Uruguay tend to reflect its colonial Spanish heritage and patronymic origins. Examples include:^[1]

Rodríguez – Meaning “son of Rodrigo.”
González – A patronymic surname meaning “son of Gonzalo.”
Martínez – Meaning “son of Martín.”
Fernández – Meaning “son of Fernando.”
Pérez – Derived from “son of Pedro.”
López – From “son of Lope.”
Silva – Meaning "the one who whistles."