With their roots dating till the middle ages, the Hispanic family names or last names have been around since a very long time. Read on to find out some popular and unknown Hispanic last names throughout history.
A complete unique and different way to come up with a child’s name, the Hispanic community takes a lot of pride in it. Every culture, country, and people have their own sets of rules, norms, and method of keeping last names for themselves. Same can be said for the Hispanic people. In this article, we are going to find out what their method is and how does a child get his/her name.
How a Family Name is Selected
Since the 12th century, Hispanic last names or surnames have been around. If you ever have been in contact or know about the vast, rich Hispanic culture, you might know the fact that children are commonly given two names, rather than one. These two names come from both his/her parents. For example, let’s say that Hugo Martinez Lopez married Isabella Alvarez Moreno. Their child will be named Jesus/Claudia Lopez Alvarez. The middle name for the child comes from his/her father’s name (Martinez) and the last name comes from his/her mother’s maiden name (Alvarez). Although this typical acceptance is no longer a “must” for Spanish origin families. Due to a change of law in Spain, the two names are reversed, where the mother’s surname is taken first, and then the father’s surname follows. At times, someone from a different culture and non-Spanish country might find this concept confusing, only because the concept is pretty different.
Another issue that crops up from Spanish-speaking families living in the United States, where there’s no norm to incorporate two different family names for the child. Hence, when such an issue comes into play, parents mostly drop the second last name and let the child use his/her father’s paternal family name. Or, another solution, where the child can keep both family names is by placing a hyphen in middle of both names. So for Jesus or Claudia, their names would become Jesus Martinez-Alvarez or Claudia Martinez-Alvarez.
List of Last Names
Now that we have a clear understanding on how Hispanic family names are passed from generation to generation, we can go over the different last names. As you look below, you can see a table which contains a list. Read them carefully. You might just find your last name or a friend’s.
A
- Abaurrea
- Acasta
- Adargo
- Aguaristi
- Aguera
- Alamos
- Albarez
- Ajuntas
- Alavarado
- Arguellez
- Alvarez
- Aguilar
- Alvarado
- Acosta
- Avila
B
- Balbastro
- Balboa
- Barbosa
- Berrera
- Bibiano
- Bidal
- Boltares
- Borquez
- Brisuela
- Burbano
C
- Caballa
- Cabanero
- Camanez
- Cegarra
- Charcas
- Cerda
- Cicilia
- Cobelo
- Contrera
- Conejero
- Cruz
- Chavez
- Castillo
- Castro
- Calderon
D
- Dalama
- Dealejandro
- Devolin
- Diego
- Dimas
- Doce
- Dopazo
- Durango
- Dorantes
- Domenguez
- Diaz
- Delgado
- Dominguez
- Duran
- Deleon
E
- Eiriz
- Elenes
- Encizo
- Endoso
- Emperador
- Escovado
- Escota
- Estevez
- Espinoz
- Estebane
F
- Florez
- Fernandez
- Figueroa
- Fuentes
- Francisco
- Fajardo
- Fanego
- Farrera
- Figoroa
- Figueras
- Flopes
- Flemate
- Flores
- Folgar
- Fonseca
G
- Galavez
- Galban
- Galguera
- Galvez
- Garcia
- Garza
- Gerardo
- Gerro
- Gerusa
- Gomez
- Gonzales
- Gozales
- Gonzabes
- Goroza
- Gutierrez
- Guzman
- Gonzalez
- Guerrero
- Galvan
- Galindo
H
- Herandez
- Higares
- Hierro
- Hermoso
- Hervas
- Hipolito
- Huante
- Horacio
- Hirtado
- Homar
- Hernandez
- Herrera
- Huerta
- Hurtado
- Hildago
I
- Ibanez
- Ilarraza
- Inserni
- Imas
- Iglecias
- Irlas
- Iroz
- Isla
- Islava
- Ivanez
J
- Jacas
- Jacinto
- Janero
- Jover
- Janero
- Juanez
- Juanitas
- Jusino
- Juvera
- Jurado
- Jimenez
- Juarez
- Jaramillo
- Jaimes
- Jasso
L
- Labiosa
- Lagunas
- Lapaz
- Laosa
- Lajara
- Lacruz
- Lamorena
- Larreta
- Llambes
- Leonis
- Lopez
- Lara
- Leon
- Lozano
- Lugo
M
- Madoz
- Madriz
- Maceno
- Manito
- Miato
- Magdael
- Malana
- Manzanero
- Mancito
- Marreno
- Martinez
- Morales
- Mendoza
- Medina
- Moreno
- Munoz
- Mendez
- Marquez
- Molina
- Mejia
N
- Napolez
- Nieva
- Noceda
- Nigos
- Nira
- Norona
- Nogales
- Norales
- Nisperos
- Nuanez
O
- Obezo
- Ocanto
- Ogaz
- Ojito
- Olvera
- Olivera
- Opio
- Orozeo
- Oriba
- Ortez
- Ortiz
- Ortega
- Ochoa
- Orozco
- Osorio
P
- Pacho
- Piaz
- Palgon
- Pedreiro
- Pariz
- Perez
- Pena
- Pacheco
- Padilla
- Ponce
- Pargas
- Pagueros
- Pegoda
- Pinalez
- Pintos
Q
- Queiro
- Quines
- Quesado
- Quitos
- Quita
- Quinal
- Quireno
- Quijano
- Quilez
- Quintera
R
- Rabia
- Ramierez
- Resurez
- Raspaldo
- Raventos
- Regalos
- Renderos
- Riveira
- Rivaz
- Ricardo
- Rivera
- Ramirez
- Ruiz
- Reyes
- Rodriguez
- Ramos
- Romero
- Rodriquez
- Rios
- Rojas
S
- Sanchez
- Soto
- Salazar
- Santiago
- Sosa
- Saldana
- Sandoval
- Silva
- Salinas
- Solis
- Saborio
- Salazan
- Salivas
- Salinos
- Sanchz
- Sanlucas
- Sapinoso
- Santamarina
- Santos
- Santana
T
- Torres
- Trujillo
- Trevino
- Trejo
- Tovar
- Tamarez
- Tamez
- Tavales
- Tapia
- Tico
- Telleria
- Telas
- Tejo
- Tezino
- Torrez
U
- Urraca
- Uranday
- Urrabaz
- Urrea
- Urrego
- Urcadez
- Urive
- Urdaz
- Urtez
- Urtiaga
V
- Valdez
- Vaiza
- Valdonado
- Valdriz
- Vejarano
- Veloz
- Veracruz
- Valleja
- Viejo
- Vilas
- Vasquez
- Vega
- Vargas
- Velasquez
- Villa
X
- Ximenes
- Xiques
- Xuarez
- Xochicale
- Ximinez
Y
- Yanez
- Yabara
- Ynegas
- Ydrogo
- Ysassi
- Yroz
- Ynigo
- Yebara
- Yepez
- Ypina
Z
- Zaldana
- Zaldua
- Zapara
- Zamaco
- Zapata
- Zardo
- Zarria
- Zarcos
- Zaragoza
- Zermeno
These were some of the popular last names in the Hispanic community which have been used over for centuries. As huge, interesting, and at times confusing the culture may be, the practice of a child being given two family names comes due to its Arabic influence. Over the centuries, minor alterations have been made in the Hispanic culture of giving and using names.
