What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2024

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2024

Puerto Rican last names often have Spanish origins, reflecting the island’s history and colonization by Spain. Here are some common Puerto Rican last names:

1. Rodríguez
2. González
3. López
4. Martínez
5. Pérez
6. Santiago
7. Ramos
8. Rivera
9. Díaz
10. Cruz
11. Torres
12. Colón
13. Ortiz
14. Vázquez
15. Serrano
16. Hernández
17. Maldonado
18. Jiménez
19. Fernández
20. Cordero

These are just a few examples, and there are many more last names in Puerto Rico, reflecting the diverse heritage and history of the island. The majority of Puerto Rican last names have Spanish roots, but due to the island’s history and cultural influences, you may also find surnames with Taino, African, or other origins.

what are some puerto rican last names?

Many Puerto Ricans are descendants of groups that adopted Castilian names. Why? Conquest, stigma, and slavery. For example, Rodríguez is one of the most common surnames on the Island. Most of it comes from the Canary Islands. You see, Canarios or Guanches were a collection of ancient pagan tribes known to have defeated Roman armies. It took the Castilians another 100 years after 1492 to pacify them. As a result, the Guanches were forced to convert to Catholicism.

Being that they had no surnames, they adopted the priests’, religious orders, or conquistadors’ surnames. Guess the surname of the guy who conquered them. So the islands filled up with unrelated Rodrigues and Roldanes. Many of them migrated to the Caribbean and settled in the Central Highlands, away from the Spaniards and the sea.

For some reason, scenarios were never seafarers. Other groups like Sephardic Jews, also favoured names like García or López. Cimarrons, freed African slaves from the British islands also took Spanish names.

Is being Puerto Rican an ethnicity?

Ethnicity definition

Hispanic or Latino: A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.

Why do Puerto Ricans have 2 last names?

In Puerto Rico, as in many Hispanic cultures, the first surname comes from the father’s first surname, and the second one comes from the mother’s first surname. In my case, my dad’s surnames are “Dávila Estrada” and my mom’s surnames are “Montero Caro” so mine are “Dávila Montero”.

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2024

Local slaves took their masters ‘ names. Quite frankly, if you’re looking for surnames that bear some significance to geographical origin, look at the many Catalan, Corsican and German surnames like Mattei, Sabater, Cosimi, Passalacqua, Damiani, Stubbe, Cofresi, and the Irish ones like O’neil and Skerrett.

We know about 25,225 unique surnames in Puerto Rico and there are 140 people per name. Yes really, your Bisabuela probably had three last names. Puerto Rican last names can seem a bit confusing but it is actually a gift. Puerto Rican genealogy is made exponentially easier because of the use of multiple surnames.

Puerto Rico used the Spanish practice of using the last names of both parents. A child born would be given a first and middle name and then the first and last name of the father followed by the first and last name of the mother. (e.g. Maria Luisa Rivera Garcia.) You may find it written with or without the word y meaning ‘and’ between the two last names. (e.g. Tomas Rivera y Castro.)

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2024

Sanchez. The king of Puerto Rican surnames. With a total of 128,384 people named Sánchez, it is the most common surname in Puerto Rico.

Why do Puerto Ricans have 2 last names?

In Puerto Rico, as in many Hispanic cultures, the first surname comes from the father’s first surname, and the second comes from the mother’s first surname.

Do Puerto Ricans have middle names?

A child born would be given a first and middle name and then the father’s first surname followed by the mother’s first surname. (for example, Maria Luisa Rivera Garcia). You can find it written with or without the word y meaning ‘and’ between the two last names.

Do all Puerto Ricans have two last names?

In Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Puerto Rico, both men and women bear their two last names (the father’s first and the mother’s second). Both are equally important and are required for any official document.

Upon marriage, a Puerto Rican woman could choose to add her husband’s last name by adding the word demeaning ‘of’ before her husband’s first last name. (e.g. Maria Luisa Rivera Garcia de Feliciano or Maria Luisa Rivera y Garcia de Feliciano.)

To the average American, that seems like a mouthful but for a genealogist, it is a practice that is extremely useful for various reasons. First, it is easy to track a person over periods of time in various documents. Second, it aids in finding siblings if you are looking to create a larger family tree.

Third, upon discovering cousins or grandchildren living in the home, you can investigate to find out who the parents are by tracing the two last names. And of course, the most obvious, there is no issue with finding maiden names! It is amazingly easier to trace back further generations with the mother’s name already known.

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names?

Several years ago I had a database of randomly selected Puerto Rican names (they were actually medical laboratory patients in San Juan). Eleven per cent Rodriguez, about six per cent Rivera, about six per cent of one name I can’t remember, and the restless common, but a smooth distribution. Carlos is the most common masculine first name.

Rodriguez would be #1.

After that, it would be

1. Lopez
2. Sanchez
3. Rivera
4. Santiago
5. Torres
6. Fernandez
7. Gonzalez
8. Maldonado
9. Ortiz

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2024

If you are looking through the Puerto Rican censuses, you will see that outside of the metropolitan areas (San Juan, Santurce, Ponce, Bayamon) the homes do not have addresses. (I explain this on another page.)

Most of Puerto Rico was rural and groups of families populated the villages and towns. They often set up a home just next door and down the road from parents and siblings. So if you find an ancestor, if you look at the pages before and after, it is very likely that you will find siblings.

How? By looking at the two last names! Of course, you need to cross-check it to the ages to be sure it makes logical sense. Because the villages and towns were relatively small, you will find that there are rarely more than one family with the same two last names…unless that is if a set of brothers marry a set of sisters.

For example: if sisters Juana and Belen Diaz y Rodriguez were to marry brothers Luis and Jose Centeno y Laboy all of the children will have the last names: Diaz y Centeno.

This happened in my own family but I had already found the sets of siblings in the 1910 census and then found them with their children in the 1930 census.

Confusion avoided! The census in Puerto Rico is available online for 1910, 1920 (limited), 1930, and 1940. By using the names as clues, you should be able to amass quite a number of relatives!

Most Popular Hispanic Last Names and the History Behind Them

1. GARCIA
2. RODRIGUEZ
3. MARTINEZ
4. HERNANDEZ
5. LOPEZ

In the U.S. there are many last names in the Hispanic community each meaning something different and having a separate history behind them. According to the 2012 U.S. census, the most common last Hispanic last names are listed above in order. Now many of us either have this last name or know another with one of these names. Let us dive a little deeper to find out the meaning behind these names and their origin through history.

1. GARCIA

From historical translations, we can see that Garcia means “bear” in Spanish and even in France.  Now let us explore where the name originates from. Many of these last names originated from Spain, or to be more technical, a kingdom that was a part of Spain. Garcia has been traced back as early as the Middle Ages to the specific kingdom of Navarre.

From this kingdom, many of the Garcia’s spread throughout Spain spreading into many other kingdoms. Garcia was even spread into France where it slightly changed from its Spanish pronunciation, for example, Garcon.  Garcia was also commonly used as a first name in medieval Spain among different families of different social hierarchies.

This crest depicts one of the Garcia family crests around. The name would be spread to new world places such as Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, and many South American countries.

2. RODRIGUEZ

The name Rodriguez comes from an interesting origin as it comes from a Germanic origin from the Visigoths who invaded Spain in the 400s and left a name. The original name in the Germanic language was “hrodric” which translates to renowned power or famous power.

The first recorded use and spelling of the family name is Heinrich Rodigerus in 1260 in Lubeck, now Germany. However, this name wasn’t officially adopted in Spain until in church registers of Rodriquez de Leon in 1536 and Juan Rodriquez de Santos in 1662 in Valladolid, Spain.

The meaning of the name changed in Spanish to mean “the son of Rodrick” as the “EZ” at the end of the name means “the son of.” Again this family crest shows the many different Rodríguez family crests that exist.

Some of the earlier records of Rodriguez in the new world date from the 1560s with names such as Vicente Rodríguez, Beatriz Rodríguez, Sebastian Rodríguez, and Bartolomé Rodríguez to name a few. Some of these names settled in places such as Peru, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Nicaragua, and many other Central American countries.

3. MARTINEZ

The third most popular family name we will explore will be the family of Martínez. Let us explore the original meaning of the name. The name, just as in Rodríguez in a way, translates to “son of martin.” Martin originates from Latin to the name Martinus or Mars, which is associated with the Roman god of war and fertility.

Martínez was brought into Spain by the Christian faith in the early years around the 4th century. Where, in Spain, it was changed to the common name that we see today. One of the first recorded spellings of the name in Spain was by Martínez di Castille around 1580 in Madrid during the reign of King Philip II.

Accounts of the name in the new world show up around the time of the 1520s. The name could be seen in Juan Martínez de Ampués who was governor of Santo Domingo and later was governor of Curaçao. Other accounts of the name can be seen in Peru, Nicaragua, and Cuba around the mid-1500.

4. Hernández

The Fourth most popular name to be explored is the Hernández family name where the name translates to mean “son of Fernando.” This name originates from the Visigoth name of Ferdinand which means “traveller or bold voyager.”

The name has been said to have become popular with King Ferdinand III of Castille and León, who led the Reconquista of Spain against the Moors (Muslims). One of the first mentions or appearances of the Hernandez family name in the new world is in Brazil around the mid-1600s. Other mentions of the name appear in Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and many more nations.

5. LOPEZ

The last most popular name that we will look into briefly is the family name of Lopez. The origin of the name Lopez can be attributed and traced to the Latin word “Lupus” or “Wolf.” Again remember that in many names ending with “EZ” this usually translates to “Son of.” So the name Lopez translates to “Son of the Wolf,” with many different variations in different areas such as Portugal, Romania, Italy, and many others.

The name is presumed to have arrived in Spain or the kingdom of Castille by the Romans during their conquest and rule of their empire in Spain. There are early mentions of the name in the new world which appear in Mexico, Chile, Hispaniola, Colombia, and Nicaragua along with other South American countries.

There have been many famous people attributed to this name both in our time and in history. One famous name that is not widely known is one of Fernando Cortes’s captains Francisco Lopez who helped in the exploration and battles against the Mexica (Aztecs).  There of course are many famous names now such as Jennifer Lopez, George Lopez, and Mario Lopez just to name a few.

Our last names can tell a lot about ourselves and even information we didn’t even know. I claim to be no expert on names or their history but some research that anyone can do can show you history unknown before. If these aren’t your names listed here don’t be discouraged feel free to look into the meaning and history of your family name. You may be surprised by what you find. And that is your history lesson of the week.

Patronymics

This system of Spanish surnames uses the name of a person’s father as that person’s surname. Sometimes the parent’s name was unchanged (as in Mateo, Alonso, and Garcia), but frequently it was used with an added suffix that meant “son of.”

These include -EZ, -az, -is, -oz at the end of a name. So, if a village had two people named Martin in it, then one might be Martin son of Rodrigo (Martin Rodriguez) and the other might be Martin son of Lope (Martin Lopez).

The one major disadvantage of this system is that with each generation surnames would change. For example, if you had Lope who was the father of Martin who was the father of Jesus, then the full names of Lope’s son and grandson would be Martin Lopez and Jesus Martinez.

On occasion, sons took the surname of their father, while daughters took that of their mother (matronymic) as in Julia de Alma.
Many patronymic surnames in Puerto Rico are of non-Spanish origin. Many Italian/ Corsican surnames end in me, due to the medieval custom of identifying families by the name of the clan in the plural (which has an -I suffix in Italian).

For instance, Gennaro from the Pellegrino family would be called Gennaro Degli Pellegrini (Gennaro of the Pelligrinos). Eventually, most possessive portions (“of the”) were dropped. However, vast many Italian surnames remained permanently pluralized and ended with “i”.

In (parenthesis), I included an English equivalent if applicable. I included the language of origin if not Castilian. After the semicolon, I included the etymology of the word if known.

For further information on names that come to Spanish via German, see the page Language & Culture of Spain.

1. Adames – son of Adam <Hebrew>
2. Adorno – from the given name Adorno <Italian>; adorned
3. Adriani – family of Adriano, someone from Adria <Italian>
4. Agostini – patronymic plural form of Agostino (August)
5. Alejandro – given name (Alexander)
6. Alfonso – from the given name <Visigothic> (Adelfuns);
7. Alonso – a variant of Alfonso from the given name <Visigothic> (Adelfonsus)
8. Alvarez – son of Alvaro <Germanic>; from Alfher
9. Amado – given name; beloved
10. Amatez – son of Amatu <Basque>; beloved
11. Anaya – son of Anaia <Basque>; brother
12. Antonini – of Antonino (Anthony) <Italian>
13. Antúnez – son of Antonio (Anthony)
14. Arnau -given name <Catalan via German>; powerful eagle
15. Arnaz – son of Arnau (Arnold) <Catalan>
16. Baez – son of Joan (John) <Basque>
17. Bartolomei – given name (Bartholomew)
18. Batista – a variant of the personal name Baptiste
19. Bauza – variant of Bausa; simple <Catalan>
20. Beltran – from the given name (Bertram) <German>
21. Benet – from personal name Benedictus <Catalan via Latin>
22. Benitez – son of Benito (Benedict) <Latin> from Benedictus; blessed
23. Bermudez – son of Bermudo from Veremund <Germanic>; vigilant protection
24. Bernal – a variant of the given name Bernaldo <Catalan> (Bernard)
25. Bernardini – of Bernardino <Italian>

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2023

1. Biaggi –  of Biagio, a variant of Blaise <Corsican, Italian>
2. Blasini – of Blas <Latin>
3. Bonta – derived from the given name Bonifacio from Bonifatius <Roman> (Boniface)
4. Cesari – of Cesare <Corsican, Italian>
5. Claudio – given name (Claudius) <Latin>
6. Clemente – given name (Clement) <vLatin>; gentle, merciful
7. Colon – a variant of the given name Columba <Roman/Latin>
8. Cosme – from the given name Cosmé; order, universe <Italian from Greek>
9. Diaz – son of Diadako <Basque from Greek>; learned
10. Domenech – a variant of the personal name Domènec (Dominick) <Catalan>
11. Dominguez – son of Domingo (Dominick); of the Lord
12. Dominicci – of Domenico <Italian> (Dominick); of the Lord
13. Duarte – from Eduardo (Edward) <Old English>; fortune/wealth guard​
14. Enriquez – son of Enrique (Henry) from Heimrich <Germanic>; ruler of the house 
15. Estevez – son of Esteban (Stephen) from Stephanos <Greek>; crown wreath
16. Feliciano – derivative of Felix <Galician> or Felicianus <Latin>
17. Fernandez – son of Fernando (Ferdinand) <Germanic>; the brave journey
18. Franquiz/ Franqui – from the personal name Franco
19. Galiano – from given name Gallianus <Latin>; a man of the Gauls
20. Galindo – given name <Aragonese>
21. Galvez – son of Galve <Arabic>
22. Gaspar – given name (Jasper) <via Persian>; treasurer
23. Gaston – personal name <French via German>; guest, host 
24. Geronimo – from the personal name from Hierōnymos <via Greek>
25. Gimbernat – from the personal name Gimberht <Catalan from German>; bright jewel
26. Gines – from given name Genesius;  well-born, legitimate <Catalan via Latin via Greek>
27. Giorgi – patronymic of Giorgio; farmer <Italian via Greek>
28. Girau – probably a Catalan variant of Giraud <French> from Gerard <German>; hard spear
29. Giron – from Xirón; hem, ‘remnant <Galician>
30. Godínez – son of Godino <Visgothic>

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2023

1. Gomez – son of Gome <Germanic>; man
2. Gonzalez – son of Gonzalo <Germanic> from Gundislavus; war
3. Gutierrez – son of Gualtierre (Walter) <Germanic>
4. Henriquez –  son of Enrique (Henry) <Germanic> from Heimrich; ruler of the house
5. Hernandez – son of Hernan (Ferdinand) – see Fernandez above
6. Ibáñez – son of Iban ~ Juan (John) from Yohanan <Latin from Greek from Hebrew>; Jehova has favored
7. Jacome – a variant of the personal name Iacobus (Jacob)
8. Jimenez – son of Jimeno ~ Ximeno (Simon) from Shimon <Latin from Greek from Hebrew>; hearkening
9. Júarez – son of Suaro
10. Lando – from given name; land <Italian originally Germanic>
11. Laureano – given name (Laurentis) <Latin>; laurelled
12. Lopez – son of Lope <Latin>; wolf 
13. Lucchetti/Lucetti – of little Luca; from Lucania <Italian>
14. Luciano – from the given name Lucius <Latin>; light
15. Macías – from the personal name Matias. <Portuguese>
16. Mariani – of Mariano <Corsican, Italian>
17. Marquez – son of Marco (Marcus)
18. Marti – given name (Martin) <Catalan>
19. Martinez – son of Martin <Latin> from Martinus; for Roman God of war Mars
20. Masini – plural form of Masino, a short form of Tommasino, a pet form of Tommaso <Corsican via Italian>
21. Mateo – given name (Matthew) from Mattathyah <atin from Greek from Hebrew>; a gift from Jehova   
22. Mateu – given name (Matthew) from Mattathyah <Catalan from Latin from Greek from Hebrew>; a gift from Jehova
23. Melendez/Mendez – son of Menendo from Hermenegildo
24. Milian – given name Milian <Basque from Latin>
25. Millan – diminutive of Aemilianus; rival <Latin>
26. Minguez – son of Domingo (Dominick); of the Lord
27. Muñoz/ Muniz – son of Munio <Basque>
28. Nazario – from the given name meaning ‘of Nazareth’ <Latin>
29. Nuñez – son of Nuño <Galician>; ninth child <via Latin>
30. Ochoa – son of Otsoa <Basque>; wolf
31. Oliveras – from given name Olivero (Oliver)​
32. Ordoñez – son of Ordoño

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2023

1. Orlando – from the given name; famous land <Italian originally Germanic> (a variant of Rolando)
2. Ortiz – son of Orti <Basque from Latin>; Forti or Fortius
3. Osorio – given name Osorio <Basque>; wolf-hunter
4. Paoli – of Paolo (Paul) <Italian via Latin> from Paulum; few little
5. Pau – from the personal name (Paul) <Catalan>
6. Peláez – son of Pelayo from pelagos <Asturian via Greek>; open sea 
7. Perez – son of Petri <Basque from Latin>; stone
8. Pieri – from the given name, a Friulian variant of Pietro; Peter <Italian via Friulian>
9. Pitri – of Pietro (Peter) <Italian>
10. Ponce – from the given name Pontius <Latin>
11. Quiles – variant of Quilez; son of Aquileo from Achilleus <Greek>
12. Ramirez – son of Ramiro
13. Rodriguez – son of Rodrigo from Hroderich <Germanic>; ruling in fame
14. ​​Rolando –  from the given name; famous land <Italian via Germanic> (a variant of Orlando)
15. Roldán – given name Rolando <Germanic>; famous land
16. Ruiz – son of Ruy, a variant short form of Rodrigo
17. Santiago – from Sant Iago (Saint James/Jacob)

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2023

1. ​Sanz/ Saenz/ Sanchez – a variant of given name Sancho from Santxo <Basque via Latin>; holy Sanctus 
2. Tomasini – of Tomaso <Italian>
3. Totti – variant of Toti, plural of Toto. from a personal name of Germanic origin, Dod(d)o, Totto.
4. Valentin – from given name Valentinus <Latin>
5. Valez – son of Baldo <Italian>
6. Vasquez – son of Vasco; a Basque
7. Velasquez/Velazquez – son of Velasco <Basque>
8. Velez – son of Vela
9. Vicenty – variant of Vicente; victor
10. Vidal – from the given name Vitalis <Latin>; life
11. Ximenez – son of Semeno from Seme <Basque>; son
12. Zeno – from the given name Zenon, a derivative of Zeus <Greek>

Place Surnames (location)

People were also named after places where they lived, either past or present. When surnames began people were rarely named after the village in which they currently lived, but after they left and moved to a new place they would be named after the village where they used to live.

So Juan who used to live in Burgos came to be known as Juan de Burgos. Eventually, as surnames became commonplace and necessary, they became family names passed down by fathers. Over time the article de (of) was then often omitted. Many of the following place names are comarcas.

A comarca is closely related to a county. Spain has a slightly complicated structure. See maps of Spain for a closer look. Also helpful is this list of villages, towns, parishes, cities, provinces, and regions of Spain.

If a country is not specified, it is located within the current boundaries of Spain. You may infer the regional language of the location is the derivation.

You will find in many cases, the name that has prevailed is the Castilianized form of the location such as Corujo, a village in Galicia. In Galician it is Coruxo.

Meaning, the current form uses the spelling and pronunciation of a Castilian speaker instead of the native language spoken in the area (Catalan, Aragonese, etc….)

There are more, but these are the most common for me.

1. Abreu – from Abreu in the former Minho province in Portugal <Galician>​
2. Agramunt – a village in Urgel, Lleida, Catalonia <Catalan>;  sour bunch
3. Aguayo – from a town in Córdoba and/or Santander
4. Aguero – town in Jaco, Hoya de Huesca, Aragon 
5. Aguinaga – from Aginaga, one of villages in Guipúzcoa and/or Navarre, Basque County; place of yews
6. Alacán – possibly derived from a person who worked with the Alaca, a pony-sized horse originally from Alaca, Turkey <via French>
7. Alburquerque – village in Badajoz, Extremadura  
8. Alcala – from any of the many towns in Spain; the castle <Arabic>
9. Alcantarra – village in Cáceres, Extremadura <Arabic>; the bridge​​
10. Aldemuy/ Aldamuy – probably from Aldemunde, Carballo, A Coruña, Galicia
11. Alfaro – city in La Rioja; the lighthouse <Arabic>
12. Almodovar – towns in in the provinces of Ciudad Real, Córdoba or near Cuenca; town in Portugal <Arabic> 
13. Alsina – from Alzina, Lledia, Spain
14. Alvarado – village in Badajoz, Extremadura
15. Ames – a town in Santiago, A Coruña, Galicia
16. Amill – from Amillis, a village in Seine et Marne, Ile-de-France, France <French>
17. Anca – likely from Igrexa de San Pedro de Anca in A Coruña, Galicia
18. Andino – town in Castile

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names? 2024

1. Andrade – from San Martiño de Andrade, Pontedeume, A Coruña, Galicia
2. Andujar – town in Jaén, Andalucia
3. Antillon – town in Huesca, Aragon
4. Aquino – a town in Italy <Italian>
5. Archilla – village in Brihuega, Guadalajara, Castille-La Mancha
6. Ardín – commune in Deux-Sèvres, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France <French>
7. Arechavaleta – village in Guipuzcoa, Basque Country
8. Arguelles – parish in Siero, Asturias
9. Aróstegui – village in Atez, Pamplona, Navarre
10. Arrieta – a village in Mungiadela, Biscay, Basque Country
11. Arrigoitia – from Errigoiti, a village in Busturialdea, Bizkaia, Basque Country
12. Arroyabe – village in Arrazua, Ubarrundia, Alava, Basque Country
13. Arvizu – from Arbizu, a village in Barranca, Pamplona, Navarre <via Basque>; turnip field (Maybe the origin of Albizu)
14. Aviles – city in Asturias or district in Lorca, Murcia from Latin name Abilius <via Latin>
15. Ayala – Castilianized form of Aiara, a town in Álava, Basque Country <Basque>
16. Ayerra – from Ayera, Loporzano, Uesca <Aragonese>
17. Badillo – from either Valillo de la Guarena, Zamora or Vadillo de al Sierra in Ávila, Castile-Leon
18. Balaguer – town in La Noguera, Lleida, Catalonia
19. Balboa – town in El Bierzo, Castile-Leon
20. Balzac – commune in Gond-Pontouvre, Angoulême, Charente, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
21. Barada – probably from Baradal, Asturias
22. Barcelo – likely referring to someone from Barcelona
23. Basco – someone from Basque country; Vasco variant
24. Bayona – from Baiona, Vigo, Pontevedra, Galicia
25. Bayron – from Byram; at the cattle sheds <Old English>
26. Belgodere – from Belgodère, a commune in Haute-Corse, Corsica, France
27. Belmonte – town in Calabria, Italy
28. Belvis – variant of Bellvís, Pla d’Urgell, Lleida, Catalonia 
29. Berdeguez – possibly a variant of Verdaguez from Pic de Verdaguer, a peak of the Montcalm Massif in the Pyrennes <Catalan>
30. Bermeo – village in Busturialdea, Bizkaia
31. Betances/Betanzos – from Betanzos, A Coruña, Galicia
32. Bettolacce – a village in Rogliano, Haute-Corse, Corsica
33. Bobadilla – from one of the many places in Spain; originally Bovacella; female oxen barn
34. Bobe – from Bobes, Siero, Asturias 
35. Bonilla – town in Cuenca province or Bonilla de la Sierra in Ávila province
36. Brea – from one of the many places in Galicia
37. Burgos – the historic capital of Castile 
38. Bustamante – town in Santander province, Cantabria
39. Bustamonte – variant of village Bustillo del Monte, Valderredible, Cantabria
40. Buyé – possibly from Buyeres, Asturias taken from Bruyères <French>; heather
41. Cabral – parish in Vigo, Pontevedra, Galicia
42. Calderón – village in Requena-Utiel, Valencia; cauldron
43. Caracena – town in Soria, Castille-La Mancha
44. Carballo/ Caraballo – town Carballo, Bergantiños, A Coruña, Galicia
45. Carmargo – village in Santander, Cantabria (pre-Roman Cabarcus)
46. Carmona – village in Los Arcores, Sevilla, Andalucia
47. Cartagena – town in Murica
48. Castejón – town and municipality in Navarre
49. Castellano – person from Castille
50. Cela – from any of the places found in Leon, Lugo, La Coruña, Orense, Pontevedra, Valencia, Aleria, Alicante; cover up, hide
51. Celis – village in Rionansa, Cantabria
52. Cereceda – from various places in Spain; cherry orchard 
53. Cervoni – from Cervon, a village in Nièvre, France
54. Cevallos – variant of Ceballos in Santander, Cantabria
55. Charriez – commune in Haute-Saône, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
56. Chiavramonti – variant of Chiaramonti a comune in Sassari, Sardinia, Italy
57. Cisneros – village in Tierra de Campos, Palencia, in the northern part of Castile and León; of the swan
58. Conchillos – variant of Cunchillos. Tarazona, Zaragoza, Aragon
59. Contreras – town Conteraras in Burgos, Castile
60. Cora – from either places in Lugo and Pontevedra in Galicia
61. Corcino – variant of Corsino, someone from Corsica <Italian>
62. Cordova – variant of Cordoba, Andalucia
63. Corujo – village Coruxo in Vigo, Ponteverde, Galicia
64. Cos – Greek island in the Aegean Sea <Greek>
65. Cuéllar – village in Tierra de Pinares, Segovia, Castile-Leon 
66. Cunchillos/ Conchillos – town in Tarazona, Zaragoza, Aragon
67. Davila – from Avila province, Castile-Leon 
68. De Leon – from Leon, Spain; lion
69. Delestre – Lestre is a French commune, located in the department of Manche in the Normandy
70. Deya- from Deià, Sierra de Tramontana, Mallorca <Catalan>
71. Deza – a comarca in Pontevedra, Galicia
72. Dieppa – the Italian form of Dieppe, a village in Normandy, France <Italian via French>
73. Echandy – possibly from Échandelys is a commune in Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France <French>
74. Elizondo – from Elizondo, Spain <Basque>
75. Escalante – town in Trasmiera, Cantabria; escalating, climbing
76. Escamilla – town in Gualadajara province, Castile
77. ​Escoriaza – from Eskoriatza, Guipúzcoa, Basque Country; the place of the black earth 
78. Estrada – town in Val de San Vicente in Cantabria, Spain or La Estrada, Tabeirós – Tierra de Montes, Pontevedre, Galicia; <Latin> the way/ ground tread/ road <strata>
79. Ferré – possibly from Ferrère, Hautes-Pyrénées, France (Occitania)
80. Figueroa – a parish in Abegondo, A Coruña, Galicia; fig tree
81. Florentino – a person from Florence, Italy
82. Fuenmayor – town in Logrono, La Rioja
83. Galarza – village in Archavaleta, Guipuzcoa, Basque Country​
84. ​Galiano – a person from Galicia
85. ​Gallego – a person from Galicia
86. Gandia – city in Safor, Valencia  <Catalan>
87. Giglio – from Isola Giglio, an Italian island in the Tyrrhenian Sea
88. Grec – a person from Greece <Catalan>
89. Guadarrama – a town near Madrid 
90. Guevara – from Gebara, a village in Barrundia, Ávala, Basque Country <Basque>
91. Herrera – village in Camargo, Santander, Cantabria
92. Hevia – parish in Siero, Asturias
93. Huicy/ Huici – Spanish form of Uitzi, Larraun, Navarre, Basque Country
94. Irizarry – from Irisarri, France – formerly in Navarre, Spain
95. Jorda – from River Jordan in Israel <Catalan>
96. La Guardia – town in Toledo, Castile-La Mancha
97. Lameiro – village in Bembrive, Vigo, Pontevedra, Galicia
98. Laredo – village in Costa Oriental, Cantabria; village in Redondela, Pontevedra, Galicia
99. Larrinaga – likely from Larrañaga, a 13th-century hamlet that was rebuilt in the 18th century, now a hotel in Azpeitia, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
100. Latoni – possibly from Vilanava de Laton <Catalan version> of Villeneuve-du-Latou, Arieja, Occitania, France 
101. Lebron – village in Puebla del Brollon, Lugo, Galicia
102. Ledesma – village in Salamanca, Castille-Leon
103. Liaca – probably from Liac, a village in Midi-Pyrenees, France
104. Linares – town in Sierra Morena, Jaén, Andalucia; from ‘lino’: flax, linen
105. Llanes – village in Oriente, Asturias
106. Llerandi – parish in Parres, Oriente, Asturias
107. Llorens – from Castilianized version of Llorenç del Penedès, Bajo Panadés, Tarragona, Cataluña <Catalan>
108. Longoria – village in Oviedo, Asturias
109. Lorca – village in Alto Guadalentín, Murcia 
110. Lourido – parish in Salvatierra de Miño, Pontevedra, Galicia
111. Loyola – town Loiola in Guipúzcoa, Basque Country
112. Lugo – town in Galicia 
113. Luyando – village in Ayala, Áyala, Basque Country
114. Lyon – likely from Lyons-la-Forêt in Eure, Normandy, France
115. Malaret – probably from Malerèt, Catalan form of Malleret, Creuse, New Aquitaine, France
116. Malpica – Malpica de Bergantiños, A Coruña, Galicia
117. Marin – village in Morrazo, Pontevedra, Galicia​
118. Maristani/Maristany – lagoon of the sea  <Catalan>
119. Mejias – from Muxia, a town in A Coruña, Galicia
120. Mera – village in Pontevedra, Galicia
121. Merodis – from village Merodio, Asturias
122. Miramontes – village in A Coruña, Galicia
123. ​Miranda – village in Oviedo, Asturias
124. Mojica – from Muxika a town in Biscay, Basque Country <Biscay>
125. Molina – from either of the towns; Molina de Segura, Murcia or Molina de Aragon, Castile-La Mancha 
126. Monsanto – village in Alcanena, Portugal
127. Montoto – village Burgos, Valle de Valdebezana, Castilla y León
128. Monzón – town in Cinca Medio, Huesca, Aragón; seasons <via Latin>
129. Navarro – from Navarre region or village of Navarro in Avilés, Asturias
130. Navia – parish in Vigo, Pontevedra, Galicia
131. Naviera – village As Naveiras, Veiga, Ortigueira, Galicia
132. Negrón – village in Rincón de Ademuz, Valencia
133. Novales – either village in Alfoz de Lloredo, Cantabria or in Hoya de Huesca, Huesca, Aragon
134. Obando – town in Extremadura, Spain
135. Ojeda – town in Burgos province; valley in Palencia province​
136. Oquendo – from Okondo, Aiaraldea, Araba, Basque Country
137. Orozco – from either Orozko​ village in Basque Country or Andalusia
138. Ortega – village in Mañon, A Coruña, Galicia

common Puerto Rican last names? 2024

1. Osuna – village of Seville, Andalucia <via Arabic>
2. Otero – village in Torrijos, Toledo, Castile-La Mancha; small hill, knoll
3. Outeiro – one of many places in Galicia; hill
4. Pacheco – village in Torre-Pacheco, Murcia
5. Pantoja – village in la Sagra comarca, Toledo province, Castile-La Mancha
6. Parrella – most likely from parellada, a type of grapevine used to make cava in Catalonia  from word aparellada which describes the branches; paired <Catalan> Also possibly from either location in Turin, Italy
7. Parres – village in Llanes, Oriente, Asturias
8. Pedraza – towns in the provinces of Palencia, Salamanca, and Segovia
9. Peralta – town in Ribera Ara-Aragon, Navarre; high rock
10. Perea – the region between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea <Hebrew>; the country beyond 
11. Pitre – likely from Pîtres, a village in Normandy, France
12. Polanco – from Polanco, Cantabria
13. Porras – from any of three places in Lugo, Galicia
14. Quiroga – village in Lugo, Galicia 
15. Quirós – town in Asturias
16. Razo – parish in Carballo, Bergantiños, A Coruña, Galicia
17. Reus – town in Tarragona, Catalonia <Catalan>
18. Saavedra – village in Irixo, Carballiño, Ourense, Galicia
19. Salamanca – province in Castile-Leon region
20. Salcedo – parish in Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Galicia
21. Salgueiro – village in Candeán, Vigo, Pontevedra, Galicia; willow tree
22. Salicrup – from La Torre de Solicrup, a medieval farmhouse and tower in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Garraf, Penedès, Catalonia
23. Samper – town in La Fueva, Sobrarbe, Huesca, Aragon: Sant Per <Aragonese>; St. Peter
24. Sanabria – from Puebla de Sanabria in Zamora province, Castile-Leon <Asturian>
25. Sandoval – from village Sandoval de la Reina in Burgos province, Castile-Leon
26. Santander – city in Cantabria region

common Puerto Rican last names? 2023

1. Sariego – village in Oviedo comarca, Asturias
2. Segarra – comarca in Lleida province, Catalonia
3. ​Selles – village  in France; saddles <French>
4. Sepúlveda – comarca in Segovia in Castile-Leon
5. Solano – a neighbourhood in Las Hormazas, Odra-Pisuerga, Castile-Leon
6. Solis – the parish in the town of Rodiles, Asturias; comfort, consolation
7. Soriano – from Soria province in Castile-Leon {Sephardic}
8. Sotomayor – from Soutomaior, a from Pontevedra and/or Ourense provinces <Galician>
9. Suria – village in Boges, Barcelona, Catalonia
10. Taboada – town in Lugo, Galicia <Galician>
11. Tamayo – from either a village in Oña, Burgos, Castile-Leon or a village in Venta del Moro, Valencia
12. Tapia – parish in Ames, Santiago, A Coruña, Galicia 
13. Tavarez – from Tabára, a town in Zamora, Castile-Leon <via Portuguese>
14. Teissonniere – from Le Val de Thouet, Parthenay, Deux-Sèvres, Nuova Aquitania, France
15. Tejera – village in Hermisende, Sanabria, Zamora, Castilla y León; from tejo ‘yew’
16. Tellechea – possibly from Telechia, a remote village in Romania, once part of the Roman Empire
17. Toledo – province in Castile-La Mancha
18. Torruella – from Torruella de Aragon, a tiny now abandoned hamlet in Abenozas, Huesca, Aragon 
19. Troncoso – from either village in Ourense or Pontevedra, Galicia
20. Trujillo – from Tierra de Trujillo, village in Cáceras, Extremadura
21. Túa – river in Terra Quente, Nordeste Trasmontano, Bragança, Portugal <Portugese>
22. Urdaneta – village in Aia, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
23. Uribe – village in Zaeanuri, Bizkaia, Basque Country

common Puerto Rican last names? 2024

1. Urrutia – either of two towns in Biscay province, Basque Country <Basque>
2. Valderrama – village in Burgos, Castile-Leon
3. Vendrell – town in Tarragona, Catalonia <Catalan>
4. Veray – from Verrayes, Aosta Valley, Itlay <French>
5. Vera – village in Cáceres, Extremadura
6. Vergara – from Bergara village in Debagoiena, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
7. Vigil – from Vixil, a parish in Siero, Asturias <Asturian>
8. Vigo – town in Pontevedra, Galicia <Galician>
9. Villafañe – town in Villasabariego, León, Castilla y León
10. Villaronga – possibly a variant of Villalonga, a village in Valencia
11. Villarreal – from Vila-Real a town in Plana Baixa, Castellón, Valencia
12. Villarrubia – villages in Toledo, Córdoba, and Ciudad Real provinces
13. Villaverde – from any of the various places in Spain; green village
14. Villodas – village in Iruña de Oca, Álava, Basque Country
15. Villodres – from Villodre, Palencia, Castille-Leon
16. Viteri – alternate spelling of Biteri in Basque Country
17. Zabala- from Zabala in Biscay or Álava provinces <Basque>
18. Zambrano – from Zambrana in Ayala, Álava province, Basque Country
19. Zaragoza – city in Aragon from the ancient Roman name, Caesaraugusta (Ceaser Augustus) <via Latin>
20. Zayas –  from Zayas de Torre or Zayas de Báscones in Soria province <Basque>

common Puerto Rican last names? 2023

Place Surnames (landscape/topography)
Another form of a place surname occurs when people are named after a geographic or landscape feature that a person lived near or on such as Serrano (hill), Rios (river), Vega (meadow), Acosta (coast), and de la Mar (from the sea).  Places with an asterisk* can also be found as real place names listed above.

What are the most common Puerto Rican last names?

Why are Puerto Ricans considered US citizens?

Puerto Rico was annexed by the United States in 1898 after the Spanish- American War by the Treaty of Paris.

It wasn’t until the Jones–Shafroth Act in 1917 Puerto Ricans were imposed into American Citizens.

Why?

Simply, the Americans needed troops for WWI, and Puerto Ricans were obligated to join the war.

It was estimated that 18,000 Puerto Ricans served in the war.

Since then, we have been considered American citizens, but not by choice.

That is one of the reasons why Puerto Rico is unlikely to be an independent country since the constitution of the USA states that if you are an American citizen and have children in another country, your children are still considered US citizens.

So, although we become independent, our future generations would still be considered American citizens. Unless people willingly renounce citizenship.

How do Americans feel about Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans?

Obviously, I can only speak conclusively for myself, but as a natural-born American of anglo-Saxon descent who has visited Puerto Rico numerous times on business, I can say that I am very fond of Puerto Rico and its people.

Due to an idiosyncrasy of the law, a lot of pharmaceutical companies (an industry I used to be in) have significant operations in Puerto Rico and, consequently, many pharmaceutical companies have many employees from Puerto Rico who have transferred to the mainland.

Many of these people I worked with them for years very closely, both in the US and Puerto Rico.

While I try to avoid generalizing about people, I definitely noticed some trends.

Most of the Puerto Ricans I met were fiercely proud of Puerto Rico, highly patriotic towards the USA, friendly and polite to a fault, and very energetic and hard workers.

This island itself was beautiful almost beyond words, but also mesmerizing in an unexpected way.

As a US mainlander, the combination of the familiar and exotic would cause my attention to be diverted for long periods.

The highway signs were largely in Spanish, but since they all followed the US DOT specifications, they were the familiar green and white ones I had seen all my life, and yet not.

common Puerto Rican last names

The beaches were tropical and very Caribbean, but I could watch and understand TV and drink water.

I truly felt like I was taking an exotic foreign vacation, but didn’t need my passport and didn’t leave my constitutional rights at home.

As for my feelings for the future of Puerto Rico, these are actually the easiest to summarize; whatever the people of Puerto Rico want.

Guys, If they wish to join the Union as a State, we would be proud to have Puerto Rico as the 51st state.

If they wish to maintain the status quo and continue economic development, I would understand and support that.

If they wished to become fully independent, we would be sad to see them go as Puerto Rico is part of the family, but we would try our best to help them and wish them well as they make their own way in the world.

I think most people in the mainland US would accept any decision made by the people of Puerto Rico provided they felt it was made freely and without any coercion or pressure from the US mainland or anyone else.

Why are Puerto Rican men so good in bed?

Please, refrain from using or initiating stereotypes.

Unless our culture focuses on developing a healthy and perfect sex life (which it doesn’t), you can’t really assume that the men here have some powerful erotic skills.

Maybe you prefer Puerto Rican men or the individual ones you were with especially fancy you, therefore the levels of pleasure, fun, and passion rise to both of your benefits, but realistically speaking, they’re not all amazing.

It’s really a matter of experience, not race or nationality.

It is a rumour that may be a little overstated.

Nevertheless, Puerto Rican men are feisty in everything they do and can be relentless in their efforts.

That makes for very active, heavy sweating, physically strong sexual encounters where both ends are exhausted.

I hope that has not been too graphic!

Does this stereotype exist for us?

I was not made aware that countries and/or ethnicities were ranked based on sexual performance.

But seriously, most Puerto Ricans are just normal people and these questions probably stem from the stereotype that Latinos are awesome lovers.

This probably has to do with the difference in culture between us and the US (which, for me, appears to be where much of the stereotype originates from).

Some of us are clueless or inexperienced with a bed, some are alright, and some are amazing. Not much different from everybody else.

How are Puerto Rican men in general?

In my experience; Puerto Rican men (& women) are very family-oriented, with a strong sense of honour.

Puerto Ricans are friendly, hospitable people, and treat even the most distant relatives as first cousins.

Many times when my husband & I ask a man for directions in PR, they may point first, then often will walk us all the way to our destination.

My Puerto-Rican great-grandpa, grandpa, father, uncle, & brother were/are hard workers, & it’s extremely important to be good providers for their families.

It’s hard to say because the spectrum of personalities/styles/colors/ etc. is very varied.

I can say that Puerto Rican men are gregarious, happy, proud, and typical islanders, with varying degrees of loudness.

They tend to be very family-centred and loving. They are also hardworking and driven.

I can tell you, being the daughter/ sister/ niece/ granddaughter/ wife/ cousin/ friend of many Puerto Rican men, that they are wonderful, and I wouldn’t change them for the world.

Why are Puerto Ricans sometimes viewed in a negative way?

I grew up in Washington Heights – Upper Manhattan (New York City).

My neighbourhood at the time contained many ethnic groups, but Puerto Ricans were among them.

Like my ethnic group (Greeks), Puerto Ricans are loud, festive people.

They really are no different than any other full-of-life ethnic group: most are very good people, and some are criminals (just like Germans, Swedes, Irish, etc.).

And, of course, there are also Puerto Ricans (and Greeks) who are as quiet as mice.

But as if often the case in “melting pots,” there is xenophobia and resentment.

Loud music blaring in the streets is GREAT ONLY IF you happen to like (and understand) the music. If not, the neighbours are annoyed.

Beyond that, Puerto Ricans are sometimes resented by nativists because they have so many of the benefits that Americans from any of the U.S. states do – and because that’s only been the case for less than 100 years, some are resentful of the “Johnny-come-lately.”

common Puerto Rican last names

• Adames – son of Adam
• Adorno – from the given name Adorno; adorned
• Adriani – family of Adriano, someone from Adria
• Agostini – patronymic plural form of Agostino (August)
• Alejandro – given name (Alexander)
• Alfonso – from the given name (Adelfuns);
• Alonso – a variant of Alfonso from the given name (Adelfonsus)
• Alvarez – son of Alvaro ; from Alfher
• Amado – given name; beloved
• Amatez – son of Amatu; beloved
• Anaya – son of Anaia ; brother
• Antonini – of Antonino (Anthony)
• Antúnez – son of Antonio (Anthony)
• Arnau -given name; powerful eagle
• Arnaz – son of Arnau (Arnold)
• Baez – son of Joan (John)
• Bartolomei – given name (Bartholomew)
• common Puerto Rican last names

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common Puerto Rican last names