Puerto Rican Last Names: A Deep Dive into Meaning and Origin

Are you curious about the rich history and cultural significance of Puerto Rican last names? This comprehensive guide explores the origins and meanings of some of the most common Puerto Rican surnames, offering a glimpse into the island's diverse heritage. From Spanish roots to indigenous influences, these names tell stories of migration, family connections, and the enduring spirit of the Puerto Rican people.
1. **Acosta:** Meaning "one who lives near a coast" or "one who comes from a place near the coast." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Acosta, Acosta-Fernández, Acosta-Pizarro, etc.
2. **Alers:** Meaning "from the alder tree" or "someone who lives near alder trees." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
3. **Almodovar:** Meaning "a place with almond trees," from the Spanish word "almendro." It is a last name of Spanish origin, often found in the Basque region of Spain.
4. **Alvarez:** Meaning "son of Alvaro." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Alvarez-Gonzalez, Alvarez-Ruiz, Alvarez-Rodriguez, etc.
5. **Andino:** Meaning "from the Andes Mountains." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the Andes Mountain range in South America.
6. **Angueira:** Meaning "one who lives near the corner of a street." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
7. **Arroyo:** Meaning "stream" or "brook." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a small river or stream.
8. **Ayala:** Meaning "a place with a lot of trees" or "a place with a lot of vegetation." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
9. **Badillo:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are many reeds." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
10. **Batista:** Meaning "one who is a baptist" or "one who is a believer." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
11. **Bautista:** Meaning "one who was baptized" or "one who is a believer." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
12. **Benitez:** Meaning "son of Benito." It is a last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Benitez-Alvarez, Benitez-Diaz, Benitez-Garcia, etc.
13. **Berrios:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of berries." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
14. **Blancas:** Meaning "white." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
15. **Bonilla:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of willows." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
16. **Burgos:** Meaning "from the city of Burgos in Spain." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the city of Burgos in northern Spain.
17. **Cabrera:** Meaning "goat herd" or "one who takes care of goats." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
18. **Calderón:** Meaning "one who is a caldron maker." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a large pot for boiling liquids.
19. **Camacho:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of fields." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
20. **Campos:** Meaning "fields" or "meadows." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
21. **Cancel:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of gates." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
22. **Cardenas:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of cardoons." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
23. **Carrasquillo:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of oak trees." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
24. **Casillas:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of houses." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
25. **Castro:** Meaning "castle." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a castle or fortified place.
26. **Cepeda:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of onions." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
27. **Colon:** Meaning "dove." It is a last name of Spanish origin, often associated with Christopher Columbus, who is known as Cristobal Colon in Spanish.
28. **Corales:** Meaning "coral." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the hard, colorful skeletal structure of certain marine invertebrates.
29. **Cordero:** Meaning "lamb." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a young sheep.
30. **Correa:** Meaning "leather strap" or "belt." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a leather strap or belt.
31. **Cruz:** Meaning "cross." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the Christian symbol of the cross.
32. **Diaz:** Meaning "son of Diego." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Diaz-Rodriguez, Diaz-Garcia, Diaz-Gonzalez, etc.
33. **Dominguez:** Meaning "son of Domingo." It is a last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Dominguez-Garcia, Dominguez-Lopez, Dominguez-Rodriguez, etc.
34. **Echevarria:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of cherry trees." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
35. **Espada:** Meaning "sword." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a weapon used for cutting or thrusting.
36. **Estrella:** Meaning "star." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a celestial object.
37. **Fernandez:** Meaning "son of Fernando." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Fernandez-Rodriguez, Fernandez-Garcia, Fernandez-Lopez, etc.
38. **Figueroa:** Meaning "fig tree" or "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of fig trees." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
39. **Flores:** Meaning "flowers." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to flowering plants.
40. **Fonseca:** Meaning "a place with fountains" or "a place with springs." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
41. **Fuentes:** Meaning "fountains." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a spring or other source of water.
42. **Garcia:** Meaning "son of Garcia." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Garcia-Rodriguez, Garcia-Gonzalez, Garcia-Lopez, etc.
43. **Garza:** Meaning "heron." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a type of wading bird.
44. **Gonzalez:** Meaning "son of Gonzalo." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Gonzalez-Garcia, Gonzalez-Lopez, etc.
45. **Gómez:** Meaning "son of Goma." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
46. **Guerrero:** Meaning "warrior" or "fighter." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a person who fights in a battle or war.
47. **Hernandez:** Meaning "son of Hernando." It is a last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Hernandez-Rodriguez, Hernandez-Garcia, Hernandez-Lopez, etc.
48. **Herrera:** Meaning "iron worker" or "blacksmith." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a person who works with iron.
49. **Jimenez:** Meaning "son of Jaime." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
50. **Jimenez:** Meaning "son of Jaime." It is a last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Jimenez-Rodriguez, Jimenez-Garcia, Jimenez-Lopez, etc.
51. **Ladron:** Meaning "thief." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
52. **Lamboy:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of lambskin." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
53. **Larios:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of larks." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
54. **Laureano:** Meaning "laurel" or "bay tree." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
55. **Lebron:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of lions." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
56. **Leon:** Meaning "lion." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the large, powerful cat.
57. **Lopez:** Meaning "son of Lope." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Lopez-Rodriguez, Lopez-Garcia, Lopez-Gonzalez, etc.
58. **Maldonado:** Meaning "badly named" or "ill-reputed." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
59. **Manzanilla:** Meaning "little apple" or "small apple." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
60. **Marcano:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of markets." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
61. **Marquez:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of marches." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
62. **Martinez:** Meaning "son of Martin." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Martinez-Rodriguez, Martinez-Garcia, Martinez-Gonzalez, etc.
63. **Mas:** Meaning "more." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
64. **Matos:** Meaning "bushes" or "shrubs." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
65. **Melendez:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of honey." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
66. **Mendez:** Meaning "son of Mendo." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
67. **Mercado:** Meaning "market." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a place where goods are bought and sold.
68. **Miranda:** Meaning "to look at" or "to observe." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
69. **Molina:** Meaning "mill." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a place where grain is ground into flour.
70. **Montero:** Meaning "hunter" or "gamekeeper." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a person who hunts animals.
71. **Mora:** Meaning "mulberry." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the fruit of the mulberry tree.
72. **Moreno:** Meaning "dark" or "brown." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a person with dark skin.
73. **Munoz:** Meaning "son of Muno." It is a last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Munoz-Rodriguez, Munoz-Garcia, Munoz-Gonzalez, etc.
74. **Navarro:** Meaning "from Navarre" or "one who comes from the region of Navarre in Spain." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the autonomous region of Navarre in northern Spain.
75. **Nieves:** Meaning "snow." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to precipitation in the form of ice crystals.
76. **Nunez:** Meaning "son of Nuno." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
77. **Ortiz:** Meaning "son of Ort." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
78. **Otero:** Meaning "hill" or "mound." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a small hill.
79. **Padilla:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of meadows." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
80. **Pagan:** Meaning "pagan" or "non-Christian." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
81. **Palacios:** Meaning "palace." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a large and imposing building.
82. **Pantoja:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of bread." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
83. **Paredes:** Meaning "walls." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the vertical sides of a building.
84. **Perez:** Meaning "son of Pedro." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Perez-Rodriguez, Perez-Garcia, Perez-Gonzalez, etc.
85. **Pina:** Meaning "pine cone." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the fruit of a pine tree.
86. **Pineda:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of pine trees." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
87. **Pinero:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of pine trees." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
88. **Polanco:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of fields." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
89. **Porrata:** Meaning "part" or "portion." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
90. **Portes:** Meaning "doors." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the entrance to a building.
91. **Ramos:** Meaning "branches" or "twigs." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the branches of a tree.
92. **Reyes:** Meaning "kings." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a ruler of a country.
93. **Rivera:** Meaning "riverbank." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the land along a river.
94. **Rodriguez:** Meaning "son of Rodrigo." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Rodriguez-Garcia, Rodriguez-Gonzalez, Rodriguez-Lopez, etc.
95. **Roman:** Meaning "from Rome." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the city of Rome in Italy.
96. **Rosario:** Meaning "rosary." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a string of beads used for prayer.
97. **Rueda:** Meaning "wheel." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a circular object used for transportation.
98. **Ruiz:** Meaning "red." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a person with red hair or a reddish complexion.
99. **Sanchez:** Meaning "son of Sancho." It is a common last name of Spanish origin, with variations such as Sanchez-Rodriguez, Sanchez-Garcia, Sanchez-Gonzalez, etc.
100. **Santiago:** Meaning "Saint James." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to the apostle Saint James.
101. **Santos:** Meaning "saints." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a person who is considered holy.
102. **Serrano:** Meaning "mountain dweller" or "one who lives in the mountains." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a person who lives in a mountainous area.
103. **Silva:** Meaning "forest." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a wooded area.
104. **Solano:** Meaning "from the south." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a person who comes from the south.
105. **Torres:** Meaning "towers." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a tall structure.
106. **Valdez:** Meaning "from the valley." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a person who comes from a valley.
107. **Valentin:** Meaning "strong" or "healthy." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
108. **Vargas:** Meaning "variations" or "changes." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
109. **Vazquez:** Meaning "son of Vasco." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
110. **Vega:** Meaning "meadow." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a grassy field.
111. **Velasquez:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of veils." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
112. **Velez:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of sails." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
113. **Viera:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of vineyards." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
114. **Villa:** Meaning "town" or "village." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a small settlement.
115. **Villanueva:** Meaning "new town" or "new village." It is a last name of Spanish origin, referring to a new settlement.
116. **Villegas:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of willows." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
117. **Viruet:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of greens." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
118. **Yanez:** Meaning "son of Juan." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
119. **Zayas:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of clay." It is a last name of Spanish origin.
120. **Zepeda:** Meaning "one who comes from a place where there are a lot of onions." It is a last name of Spanish origin.