Top 10 Spanish Last Names In Spain, Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, And The Dominican Republic
In Spanish-speaking countries, people typically have not just one, but two Spanish last names!
Did you know that?
It’s a bit like getting a double scoop of family history – it could be a good or a bad thing, haha 🙂
But where does this Spanish naming tradition come from? In this blog post, we’ll explain everything you have to know about Spanish last names. But first, here are 15 Spanish last names that English native speakers pronounce wrong every time – this lesson is brought to you by Spring Spanish (a project I co-founded):
1. Spanish naming customs
The first Spanish surname usually comes from the dad, while the second one is from the mom. This two-surname system is a way of honoring both sides of the family.
When a child is born, they get their father’s first surname and their mother’s first surname. The tradition has been around for centuries.
In some countries, people are starting to mix things up. Some folks are choosing which surname goes first, regardless of whether it’s from mom or dad.
Here are some examples of the two-surname system:
Name | First Surname (Father) | Second Surname (Mother) | Occupation |
---|---|---|---|
Gabriel García Márquez | García | Márquez | Famous Colombian author |
Penélope Cruz Sánchez | Cruz | Sánchez | Spanish actress |
Pablo Ruiz Picasso | Ruiz | Picasso | Renowned Spanish artist |
We’re sure you’re familiar with these names, right?!
2. Origins of Spanish surnames
And where do these Spanish last names come from?
To have this question answered, we have to go through the Spanish culture and history. They can give us clues about a person’s ancestors, where they lived, what they did for a living, or even what they looked like…
Some of the most common origins are based on occupations, places, personal characteristics, and patronymics. Of course, we have examples for every section:
Popular Spanish last names based on occupations
Last Name | Meaning | Example |
---|---|---|
Herrero | Blacksmith | María Herrero (María the Blacksmith) |
Zapatero | Shoemaker | José Zapatero (José the Shoemaker) |
Pastor | Shepherd | Ana Pastor (Ana the Shepherd) |
Guerrero | Warrior | Carlos Guerrero (Carlos the Warrior) |
Molinero | Miller | Laura Molinero (Laura the Miller) |
Pescador | Fisherman | Pablo Pescador (Pablo the Fisherman) |
Labrador | Farmer | Rosa Labrador (Rosa the Farmer) |
Popular Spanish surnames based on places
Last Name | Meaning | Example |
---|---|---|
Toledo | From the city of Toledo | Carlos Toledo (Carlos from Toledo) |
Rivera | From the riverbank | Elena Rivera (Elena from the river) |
Navarro | From Navarre region | Juan Navarro (Juan from Navarre) |
Valencia | From the city of Valencia | Marta Valencia (Marta from Valencia) |
Serrano | From the mountains | Diego Serrano (Diego from the mountains) |
Castillo | From the castle | Lucía Castillo (Lucía from the castle) |
Iglesias | From the churches | Javier Iglesias (Javier from the churches) |
The significance of personal characteristics for Spanish last names
Last Name | Meaning | Example |
---|---|---|
Moreno | Dark-haired or dark-skinned | Luis Moreno (Dark-haired Luis) |
Delgado | Thin | Sofia Delgado (Thin Sofia) |
Alegre | Cheerful | Pedro Alegre (Cheerful Pedro) |
Blanco | White or fair-skinned | Carmen Blanco (Fair-skinned Carmen) |
Rubio | Blonde | Antonio Rubio (Blonde Antonio) |
Gordillo | Chubby | Isabel Gordillo (Chubby Isabel) |
Valiente | Brave | Miguel Valiente (Brave Miguel) |
Patronymics in Spanish culture
Last Name | Meaning | Example |
---|---|---|
Rodríguez | Son of Rodrigo | Carmen Rodríguez |
Martínez | Son of Martín | Diego Martínez |
López | Son of Lope | Isabel López |
Fernández | Son of Fernando | Alberto Fernández |
González | Son of Gonzalo | Sofía González |
Sánchez | Son of Sancho | Javier Sánchez |
Pérez | Son of Pedro | Elena Pérez |
3. The most common Spanish last names in Spanish-speaking countries
And now, it’s time to explore the most common Spanish last names for every Spanish-speaking country!
What are the most common Spanish last names for Spain? And for Mexico? Time to find out. All of these stats are based on the latest findings that you can search for on Wikipedia for Spanish surnames.
The plus side is: we made pretty graphs and images:
Top 10 most common Spanish last names in Spain
The most common Spanish last names in Spain are:
- García
- Fernández
- González
- Rodríguez
- López
The full list is here:
Top 10 most common Spanish last names in Mexico
The most common Spanish last names in Mexico:
- Hernández
- García
- Martinez
- González
- López
The full list:
Top 10 most common Spanish last names in Cuba
The most common Spanish last names in Cuba:
- Rodríguez
- Pérez
- González
- Hernández
- García
The full list with a bar chart:
Top 10 most common Spanish last names in Puerto Rico
The most common Spanish last names in Puerto Rico:
- Sanchez
- Rivera
- Diaz
- Rodriguez
- Narvaez
A bit different than other Spanish-speaking countries, here’s the top 10 list:
Top 10 most common Spanish last names in the Dominican Republic
And the most common Spanish last names in the Dominican Republic:
- Rodríguez
- Pérez
- Martinez
- García
- Reyes
The full list is available here:
4. The latest trends for Spanish naming customs
Without a doubt, Spanish last names are influenced by modern trends and technology. Traditional Spanish naming customs are still respected, but we’re seeing some interesting shifts.
Social media and the internet have a big role in how people view and use their last names. Some parents are choosing unique or less common surnames for their kids that stand out online or are a bit easier to pronounce globally. Influencers also put a spotlight on certain certain surnames: if an influencer with a particular last name becomes popular, we can see a little bump in naming customs.
Strange, right?!
Globalization is having its impact. More and more Spanish speakers live and work internationally, some are adapting their names to fit better in different cultures.
5. Learn the meanings of Spanish last names naturally with Conversation Based Chunking
First names, last names, two surnames… It’s easy to get lost in the long list of Hispanic and Latin naming traditions. But don’t worry!
With Conversation Based Chunking, you can learn without confusion. This approach is about learning with chunks naturally – instead of remembering grammar rules and vocabulary lists, you focus on what native speakers say: different variations of Spanish phrases, and then you incorporate those phrases automatically into your own Spanish sentences.
You can avoid confusion if you learn with this method – to help you get started, we can send you a Spanish Chunking Starter Pack right now! In it, you’ll find publicly available resources to learn Spanish, learn the usage of chunks, and you can always refer to Spanish examples, too.