By: Colleen Brewster

Uncover the rich history of Spanish surnames and forenames, and learn how these naming traditions can simplify your genealogical research.

As with the rest of Europe, surnames were not used in Spain by common people until the Middle Ages. As populations increased and the need to differentiate two people of the same forename arose, bynames were added to the forename to differentiate people.

These could come from one of several sources, each of which we’ll explore more fully:

  • Toponymic: a description of where they live or come from
  • Occupational: using their occupation to identify them
  • Descriptive: using a nickname derived from unique aspects of their personality or physical appearance
  • Patronymic/Matronymic: described as the son (or daughter) of someone
  • Given Surnames: names given to foundlings

These bynames were individual, and they were not passed down to descendants.

Origins of Spanish Surnames: How Spanish Last Names Developed

As mentioned at the beginning, Spanish surnames derived from bynames used to differentiate two people of the same name. These are similar to other European surname conventions and consist of typically the same four sources: toponymic, occupational, descriptive, or patronymic/matronymic.

Toponymic Spanish Surnames: Names Based on Places and Geography

Toponymic names are often derived from the region or city where the person lived or from landscape features near their home, such as Morales, which means “mulberry tree.”

It is important to note that in the Spanish language, nouns are gendered as masculine or feminine. Some toponymic names also use the preposition particle de (“from/of”), or del or de la (meaning “from the” or “of the”). The article “the” in English is translated as el (masculine) or la (feminine). However, when an article ends with the same sound as the next word, it is often altered or combined so the sound isn’t repeated. So, instead of saying “de el,” we use del.

Some examples of toponymic surnames are listed in the graphic below.

A chart showing examples of toponymic Spanish surnames, including their type (city, regional, topographic, or river name) and the translation, with examples like Madrid, Navarro, Castro, and Segura.

Spanish Occupational Surnames: Last Names Based on Trades

As with other languages, some surnames were derived from a person’s trade or job.

Some examples of surnames deriving from occupations are listed in the graphic below.

A chart showing examples of occupational Spanish surnames, including their derivations and translations, with examples like Herrera (blacksmith), Molina (mill worker), and Guerrero (warrior).

Descriptive Spanish Surnames: Last Names Based on Personality and Appearance

Descriptive surnames often originated as nicknames for a person. These nicknames often were based on a person’s personality or physical characteristics.

Some examples Some examples of surnames deriving from descriptions of nicknames are listed in the graphic below.

A chart showing examples of descriptive Spanish surnames, their translations, and descriptions, including Moreno (dark), Blanco (white), and Delgado (thin).

Patronymic and Matronymic Spanish Surnames: Names Based on Ancestry

Like in other languages, basing a byname on a parent’s name was common practice. The Spanish language used two methods, the unchanged and the suffix.

Unchanged Method for Spanish Patronymic Surnames: How Parent Names Stayed the Same

With the unchanged method, the parent’s name was written unaltered. To prevent confusion in these cases, many times the particle de (“of”) is used to separate the forename from the surname.

For example, Juan Miguel, with the patronymic surname Miguel, might be mistakenly thought to have a composite forename of Juan Miguel. Using de helps to prevent such confusion, as in Juan de Miguel. Juan’s children might then take the byname de Juan.

An illustration showing examples of the unchanged method for patronymic Spanish surnames, with names like Miguel de Francisco and Juan de Miguel, where

Suffix Method for Spanish Patronymic Surnames: Adding ‘Son of’ to Names

More commonly, though, suffixes were added to denote “son of.”

Originally the Latin -icī (meaning “son of”) was added to the end of the father’s name to create the son’s byname. Over time, these suffixes evolved into the different regional variants: ez, as, itz, is, or oz in Spanish and its native regional languages (Basque, Catalan, etc).

Examples include:

  • Fernández (“son of Fernando”)
  • González (“son of Gonzalo”)
  • López (“son of Lope” from the Latin “lupus”, or “wolf”
  • Martínez (“son of Martín” from the Latin “martis”, genitive form of “Mars”)
An illustration explaining the suffix method for patronymic Spanish surnames, using

Note, however, that not all surnames that end in an -ez variant are patronymic. Since the letters z and s are often pronounced alike in Latin American dialects, many surnames that ended in -es have come to be written as -ez. Surnames such as Cortez (Cortés) and Chávez (Chaves) are actually derived from one of the other surname sources. Cortés is a descriptive surname meaning “polite, courteous,” and Chaves is a toponymic surname from a Portuguese city.

Surnames of Foundlings in Spanish Naming Tradition

Foundlings, or abandoned children, still needed names that followed the standard naming conventions. Some were given toponymic names and named after the town they were found in. Since they often were raised in orphanages associated with churches, many were given the name Iglesia(s) (“church/churches”), or Cruz (“cross”).

Often a toponymic first surname was used, followed by Iglesia(s) or Cruz.

Others were given the name Expósito/a, from the Latin for “exposed,” referring to an abandoned child (those familiar with Ancient Greek and Roman stories will recognize the practice of “exposing” unwanted children to the elements).

This was considered the cruelest of the options, and the name tended to mark descendants as being of lower class. Because of this, in 1921, a Spanish law made it free to change one’s name from Expósito to another surname.

Spanish Surnames Timeline: How Spanish Last Names Evolved Over Centuries

The usage of bynames began with the nobility and wealthy, then gradually spread over several centuries to the middle classes and townspeople, and eventually to rural populations.

By the 11th century, the use of bynames was established and widespread in Spain. However, it wasn’t until around the end of the 13th century that they began to be passed down from generation to generation, becoming true surnames.

Spanish Surnames in the 16th Century: The Use of ‘y’ and ‘de’ in Family Names

The arrangement of Spanish names has changed over the centuries. In the 16th century, they still mostly consisted of the familiar pattern. However, some used both their paternal surname followed by their maternal surname, differentiating them with an y (“and”) or de (“of”).

An illustration showing how 16th-century Spanish surnames combined paternal and maternal names using

This practice was generally limited to the nobility, to bring honor to the mother’s family line. Today, the use of y, de, or a hyphen, might be used to avoid confusion when the paternal surname looks like a forename.

For example, Juan Francisco Cortés might be thought to have a composite forename (see below) of Juan Francisco and a surname of Cortés, but Juan Francisco de Cortés lets us know that Francisco is a surname.

An illustration showing how the preposition

Mid-18th Century Spanish Surnames: The Shift to the Dual Surname Tradition

By the mid-18th century, the use of y was widely dropped, and the standard still used today was adopted: [forename] [paternal (or primary) surname] [maternal (or secondary) surname]. In Spanish these are called [nombre] and [primer apellido (apellido paterno)] [segundo apellido (apellido materno)]. Some records will simply list [apellidos].

An illustration explaining the structure of mid-18th century Spanish surnames, showing the format of [forename] + [paternal surname] + [maternal surname] with examples like Miguel Cabanas Lopez.

Late 20th Century Changes to Spanish Surnames: New Laws and Surname Order Choices

Since 1999, Spanish law has allowed the parents to choose which surname will be used first, with the caveat that all successive children have the same arrangement for their last names. Because of this, using the terms “primary” and “secondary” surnames has become favored over using “paternal” and “maternal.”

Even today, in the majority of cases, the child is given the paternal surname from each parent. Thus, if Eduardo Garcia Gómez and Antonia Torres Alvarez have a child, the child’s last name would be Garcia Torres, taking the primary surname of each parent.

An illustration showing how late 20th-century Spanish surnames are passed down, using the example of a daughter named Fernanda Garcia Torres, whose parents are Eduardo Garcia Gómez and Antonia Torres Alvarez.

Double-Barreled Spanish Surnames: How Composite Last Names Are Formed

Some surnames may be composites, consisting of more than one word. This may happen if a name is both patronymic and toponymic (José Alvarez de León, or, “José, son of Álvaro from the region of León”).

Noble families also tended to pass down doubled surnames (sometimes called double-barreled), with each side passing down both their surnames. In these cases, the paternal and maternal surnames are usually differentiated with a y. Each surname may contain a de/del between its two components, or may be hyphenated.

For example, if we use our example from above, Eduardo Garcia Gómez and María Torres Alvarez have a daughter named Fernanda. The below image shows different potential variations.

An illustration showing examples of double-barreled Spanish surnames, demonstrating different ways to combine paternal and maternal surnames for a daughter, including options like Fernanda Garcia Gómez y Torres Alvarez, Fernanda Garcia de Gómez y Torres de Alvarez, and Fernanda Garcia-Gómez y Torres-Alvarez.

Note: In cases where an article (such as y) ends with the same sound as the successive word, Spanish often alters or combines the words. In the case with y (which is pronounced like “ee”), when the second surname begins with a similar vowel sound, the y is changed to e (pronounced more like “eh”), so that the vowel sound isn’t repeated. So, Julio Fernando Iglesias would not use a y to separate his surnames, but rather an e: Julio Fernando e Iglesias.

Social Names vs. Legal Names in Spanish Culture: How Surnames Are Used and Indexed

Socially, a person is traditionally called only by their paternal, or primary, surname. However, some have chosen to use the maternal name first or to use both names. This is usually if the paternal name was common or undistinguished, or to pay tribute to the maternal line or a maternal ancestor.

It is important to note that when it comes to indexing, the person’s primary surname is always used, regardless of what name they went by publicly. One of the only exceptions is Pablo Ruiz Picasso, who, since he lived most of his life in France, is indexed by his publicly used maternal surname.

The concept of “maiden names” is foreign in Spanish-speaking cultures, and, even when married, a woman legally keeps her surnames. She may, however, socially take her husband’s name, usually by dropping her second surname and adding the suffix de (“of”) and her husband’s primary surname.
Thus, María Torres Alvarez, married to Eduardo Garcia Gómez, may socially go by María Torres de Garcia.

An illustration showing the difference between social and legal names in Spanish naming conventions, using the example of a husband named Eduardo Garcia Gómez and his wife, Antonia Torres Alvarez, who may socially go by Antonia Torres de Garcia.

A similar choice may be used by widows by adding the abbreviation vda., short for viuda (“widow”). For our example, if Eduardo died, María might choose to go by María Torres vda. de Garcia.

When Spanish or Hispanic persons moved to English-speaking countries, they (or the recorder) often changed the surname(s) to fit the standard of the host country. Many dropped their maternal surname or hyphenated their two surnames, and many married women were automatically given their husband’s surname. When searching records, it is important to try any and all variations (along with spelling variations) to track our ancestors.

Spanish Forenames: Understanding Gender, Composite Names, and Their Significance

As we mentioned before, Spanish utilizes gendered nouns, and nearly every aspect of a sentence is formatted to fit the gender of the noun. If a masculine noun ends in an -o, the feminine version will end in an -a (Fernando/Fernanda; Eugenio/Eugenia). While initially confusing for many native English speakers, this is actually helpful, as it can help us determine the sex of a person in records.

This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule when it comes to names, however, as sometimes a traditionally masculine noun was used for a girl’s name, or a name may be considered gender-neutral regardless of its ending. Consuelo is considered a female name, but it is derived from the masculine noun for “comfort.” And Evangelista, despite its apparent feminine ending, is considered a gender-neutral name.

While Spanish names are today legally limited to a single forename, many have composite names, composed of two individual names but treated as a single name (Jose Luis, for example, is considered the first name, not a first and middle name).

The person may socially go by either both or a combination of the two names. It is also important to note that while someone may legally have only one forename (either simple or composite) and two surnames, they can be baptized with several forenames. These names often include saints’ names, and sometimes several.

Catholic Influence on Spanish Forenames: Saints’ Names and Their Importance

One common practice was giving a child the name of the saint on whose saint’s day the birthday fell on. This particular note can be helpful in determining unknown birthdates, although it is important to get a saint’s day calendar from the time the person lived, as the calendars have changed over time.

The practice of giving saints’ names was used to invoke the protection of the named saints. The more names used, it was believed, the more protected the child would be.

To increase chances of protection, it was common to also use the name of a saint from the opposite gender. The most common opposite-gender names that were used were María for a boy or José for a girl, after Mary and Joseph (José María has long been a popular choice for boys).

Marian Forenames in Spanish Naming Tradition: Names Derived from Mary

Female Marian names (names derived from different forms of Mary) were also very commonly used, often as the legal first name. These Marian names consist of María followed by a suffix denoting a particular shrine, place, or religious concept.

A chart showing examples of Marian forenames in Spanish, their shortened forms, and meanings, including María del Carmen (Carmen, meaning Mary of Mount Carmel) and María de los Dolores (Dolores, meaning Mary of Sorrows).

Often the person would go by the suffix, or a combination of María and the suffix (María del Pilar would be known as Pilar, or María de la Soledad became Marisol).

Consuelo, mentioned earlier, is a Marian name as well, as it is derived from María del Consuelo. Many of the suffixes have come to be used as names on their own, without using the María.

As an example of how long baptismal names can be, the famous artist Pablo Picasso, mentioned earlier, has a baptismal name twenty-five words long, which is a mixture of relatives’ and saints’ names: Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Crispín Crispiniano María de los Remedios de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz Picasso.

We know some of his name sources:

  • José Francisco de Paula may be a reference to a Spanish missionary to the Americas
  • Juan Nepomuceno after his godfather
  • Crispín Cipriano after the two saints celebrated on 25 October, his birth date
  • María de los Remedios after his godmother and Nepomueceno’s wife
  • la Santísima Trinidad means “The Holy Trinity”

As you can see, reading such long names in church records can become overwhelming. Since legal names found in other record sources use only the first forename (or possibly the first two in a composite name), and the surnames, it may be beneficial to focus on the beginning and the end of the name.

Understanding Spanish Names: Key Takeaways for Genealogical Research

For native English speakers, Spanish names may seem confusing. But remembering the basic structure of legal names can help to make sense of the names we come across in our genealogical research.

The practice of using both the paternal and maternal surnames actually makes genealogical research easier, as it gives us the mother’s name. The same can be said for the fact that women do not change their name after marriage.

For those with Hispanic ancestors, the Denver Public Library’s Hispanic genealogy blog offers many useful pointers.

Sources

Colleen Brewster - Historian

About the Author

Colleen Brewster

Historian

A St. Louis area native, Colleen has a passion for uncovering hidden gems in the history of the city and state, and in bringing history to life. As a historian, she loves writing and recording the history of her family and her hometown. Her research has taken her from the 1904 World’s Fair to the shores of Spain in her hunt to get past an ancestral brick wall. Understanding the information locked in surnames has been vital to her research, and she wants to share her tricks and tips with fellow historians. She is currently enrolled at the University of Missouri – St. Louis in the History program with a minor in English.

Ancestry Hispanic Surnames