Spanish Last Names
Almost every Spanish last name tells a small story: whose son an ancestor was, which village he came from, what trade he worked or what he looked like. The -ez ending alone, meaning “son of,” accounts for many of Spain’s most common surnames.
This page lists more than 100 Spanish last names with their meanings and regions, from the everyday Garcías and Lópezes to distinctive Basque and Catalan surnames. It also explains the two-surname system that puzzles many Americans. For first names, see our Spanish names hub; for surnames from across the Spanish-speaking world, visit Hispanic last names and Mexican last names.
Most common Spanish last names
According to Spain’s INE, these are the most widespread surnames in the country. Most are patronymics formed from medieval first names.
| Surname | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|
| García | Possibly Basque <em>gaztea</em>, “young,” or “bear” | Old given name |
| Rodríguez | Son of Rodrigo (“famous ruler”) | Patronymic |
| González | Son of Gonzalo (“battle genius”) | Patronymic |
| Fernández | Son of Fernando (“brave voyager”) | Patronymic |
| López | Son of Lope (“wolf”) | Patronymic |
| Martínez | Son of Martín | Patronymic |
| Sánchez | Son of Sancho (“holy”) | Patronymic |
| Pérez | Son of Pedro (“rock”) | Patronymic |
| Gómez | Son of Gome (“man”) | Patronymic |
| Martín | From the given name Martín | Given name |
| Jiménez | Son of Jimeno (possibly “one who listens”) | Patronymic |
| Ruiz | Son of Ruy (short for Rodrigo) | Patronymic |
| Hernández | Son of Hernando | Patronymic |
| Díaz | Son of Diego | Patronymic |
| Moreno | Dark-haired, dark-skinned | Nickname |
| Muñoz | Son of Muño | Patronymic |
| Álvarez | Son of Álvaro | Patronymic |
| Romero | Pilgrim to Rome; also rosemary | Nickname |
| Alonso | From the given name Alonso | Given name |
| Gutiérrez | Son of Gutierre (Walter) | Patronymic |
More Spanish patronymic surnames (“son of”)
Medieval Castile added -ez, -az, -iz or -oz to a father’s name. Knowing the root tells you the ancestor’s first name.
| Surname | Son of… | Root meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Domínguez | Domingo | Belonging to the Lord |
| Vázquez | Vasco | Basque, or “crow” |
| Ramírez | Ramiro | Famous counsel |
| Suárez | Suero | Southern |
| Benítez | Benito | Blessed |
| Enríquez | Enrique | Ruler of the home |
| Velázquez | Velasco | Possibly Basque “little crow” |
| Méndez | Mendo (Menendo) | Great strength |
| Núñez | Nuño | Possibly “ninth” or “grandfather” |
| Ibáñez | Ibán (Juan) | God is gracious |
| Márquez | Marcos | Of Mars |
| Téllez | Tello | Possibly Germanic “great” |
| Galíndez | Galindo | Possibly Germanic “combat” |
| Sáez | Sancho | Holy |
Spanish last names from places
Many families took the name of their town, a castle or a local landmark. Several are also common across Latin America.
| Surname | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Castillo | Castle | Lived near or worked at a castle |
| Navarro | From Navarre | Northern kingdom |
| Toledo | From the city of Toledo | Central Spain |
| Medina | Arabic, “city” | Several Spanish towns |
| Iglesias | Churches | Lived near a church |
| Torres | Towers | Very common place name |
| Vega | Meadow, fertile plain | Common across Spain |
| Rivera | Riverbank | Also Ribera |
| Montero | Hunter, mountain man | Also occupational |
| Del Río | Of the river | Often written Delrío in the Americas |
| Cordero | Lamb | Nickname or shepherd |
| Cuevas | Caves | Southern Spain |
| Fuentes | Fountains, springs | Lived by a spring |
| Mendoza | Basque, “cold mountain” | Town in Álava |
| Villanueva | New town | Many Spanish villages |
| Aragón | From the kingdom of Aragon | Eastern Spain |
| Soria | From the city of Soria | Castile |
| Guzmán | Good man (Germanic) | Also a noble house |
Occupational Spanish last names
Surnames that record an ancestor’s trade. Compare them with the English equivalents on our British last names page.
| Surname | Occupation | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Herrera | Ironworks, blacksmith’s wife | Smith |
| Herrero | Blacksmith | Smith |
| Molina | Mill | Miller |
| Pastor | Shepherd | Shepherd |
| Zapatero | Shoemaker | Shoemaker |
| Guerrero | Warrior, soldier | — |
| Carpintero | Carpenter | Carpenter |
| Escudero | Squire, shield-bearer | Squire |
| Vaquero | Cowherd | — |
| Monje | Monk | Monk |
| Alcalde | Mayor | — |
| Tejedor | Weaver | Weaver |
| Barbero | Barber | Barber |
| Serrano | Mountain dweller, sawyer | — |
Descriptive Spanish surnames
Some last names began as nicknames for a physical trait or personality.
| Surname | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Rubio | Blond | Hair color |
| Blanco | White, fair | Complexion |
| Delgado | Thin, slender | Build |
| Calvo | Bald | Appearance |
| Crespo | Curly-haired | Hair |
| Bravo | Brave, fierce | Personality |
| Leal | Loyal | Personality |
| Cano | Gray-haired | Hair |
| Pardo | Brownish-gray | Coloring |
| Rojo | Red, red-haired | Hair |
| Hermoso | Handsome | Appearance |
| Salvador | Savior | Religious nickname |
Basque last names
Basque surnames are usually place-based and easy to spot: look for -etxea/-echea (house), -berri (new) and -aga (place of).
| Surname | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Echeverría | New house | eh-cheh-beh-REE-ah |
| Etxeberria | New house (Basque spelling) | et-cheh-beh-REE-ah |
| Aguirre | Prominent place, open field | ah-GEE-reh |
| Ibarra | Valley, meadow | ee-BAH-rah |
| Zubizarreta | Old bridge | thoo-bee-thah-REH-tah |
| Urrutia | Far away | oo-ROO-tee-ah |
| Olaizola | Ironworks place | oh-lie-THOH-lah |
| Goikoetxea | Upper house | goy-koh-ET-cheh-ah |
| Arrieta | Stony place | ah-ree-EH-tah |
| Salazar | Old hall | sah-lah-THAR |
| Garay | High place | gah-RYE |
| Larrañaga | Threshing floor place | lah-rahn-YAH-gah |
Catalan and Galician last names
Eastern and northwestern Spain have their own surname traditions, often with no -ez at all.
| Surname | Meaning | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Puig | Hill | Catalonia |
| Vidal | Life, vital | Catalonia |
| Ferrer | Blacksmith | Catalonia |
| Soler | Sunny place, or floor | Catalonia |
| Roca | Rock | Catalonia |
| Font | Spring, fountain | Catalonia |
| Serra | Mountain range, saw | Catalonia |
| Pujol | Small hill | Catalonia |
| Castro | Hill fort | Galicia |
| Otero | Hill, knoll | Galicia |
| Souto | Chestnut grove | Galicia |
| Varela | Stick, rod | Galicia |
How Spanish last names work
- Two surnames: a Spaniard named Ana García López has her father’s first surname (García) and her mother’s first surname (López). She keeps both for life.
- Marriage: Spanish women do not legally change their surnames when they marry, although “de” plus the husband’s surname was once used socially.
- Order: since 2000 parents can choose which surname comes first, but siblings must share the same order.
- In the US: many families hyphenate (García-López) so forms don’t treat the first surname as a middle name.
- Accents matter: Pérez, Sánchez and Díaz carry accent marks in Spanish; many American records drop them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common Spanish last name?
García is the most common surname in Spain, followed by Rodríguez, González and Fernández (INE data).
What does -ez mean in Spanish last names?
It means “son of.” Rodríguez is son of Rodrigo, Fernández son of Fernando and Sánchez son of Sancho.
Why do Spanish people have two last names?
Spain uses a double-surname system in which children receive the first surname of each parent, preserving both family lines.
Is Salazar a Spanish last name?
Yes. Salazar is a Basque place name, usually interpreted as “old hall,” that spread throughout Spain and Latin America.
What are some rare Spanish last names?
Zubizarreta, Olaizola, Galíndez, Téllez, Escudero and Hermoso are far less common than the big -ez surnames.