Central American Submitted Surnames

Central American names include those from Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
usage
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Ribas Spanish
Variant of Rivas.
Ribera Catalan, Spanish
Habitational name from any of various locations in Spain named Ribera, derived from Catalan and Spanish ribera meaning "bank, shore".
Ricardez Spanish
Means "Son of Ricardo". Spanish form of Richardson.
Ricardo Italian, Spanish
From the given name Ricardo
Ricario Spanish
Spanish and Jewish (Sephardic): from the personal name Ricardo ( see Richard ).
Riquelme Spanish
Spanish: from a personal name composed of the ancient Germanic elements rīc 'power(ful)' + helm 'helmet protection'.
Rita Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan
From the female personal name Rita, a reduced form of MargharitaMargaret’, chosen in particular in honor of a 15th-century Italian saint who bore the name in this form.
Rivadeneira Spanish
habitational name from a parish named Riba de Neira in Lugo province meaning 'bank of the river Neira' Neira being a tributary of the Miño.
Roa Spanish
Habitational name from the town of Roa (de Duero) in Burgos province, Spain.
Robertiz Spanish (Latin American)
Derived from the given name Roberto.
Robleda Spanish
From Spanish meaning "oak grove".
Roel Spanish
Habitational name.
Rogelio Spanish
From the given name Rogelio.
Rojan Spanish
Variant of Rojas.
Romaña Spanish
Habitational name from the Italian city of Romagna.
Romo Spanish
Derived from latin (rhombus) meaning obtuse, blunt.
Ron Spanish, Galician
Habitational name from a town called Ron in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain.
Roncesvalles Spanish
The name of a village in Navarre (Spain) where there was a Priory of Saint Mary of which the Hospital of Our Lady of Rouncevale at Charing Cross London was a cell.
Rondriez m Spanish
derived from Rodríguez, the latter comes from the given name Rodrigo which means "famous ruler" or "renowned power" in its Germanic origin (from "hrod" meaning fame and "ric" meaning ruler or power).
Roño Spanish
masculine form of roña which means dirt
Ros Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous neighborhood of the Castilian municipality of Valle de Santibáñez.
Rosado Spanish
Derived from the Spanish word rosa, meaning "rose".
Rosas Spanish, Catalan
Variants of Rosa or Rosales.
Rubalcava Spanish
Habitational name for someone originally from the town of Rubalcaba in Cantabria, Spain. The name itself is derived from Arabic الربع الخالي (ar-rubʿ al-ḵālī) meaning "the Empty Quarter", referring to the Rub' al Khali desert in the Arabian Peninsula.
Ruldio Spanish (Latin American)
Unknown, possibly a Spanish variant of "radio".
Ruz Spanish
Possibly a variant of Ruiz or Cruz.
Saavedra Spanish
Derived from the place-name Saavedra and therefore signifies "descendant or son of one from Saavedra". The place-name Saavedra is located in the north western province of Lugo in Galicia, Spain and is believed to be derived from the elements "Saa" meaning "Hall" and "Vedra" (feminine) meaning "Old".
Sablan Spanish
Of Savoy.
Sacasas Spanish
Have researched the surname Sacasas, and have narrowed the usage down to four countries the name has been used in. Spain, Cuba, the United States and Philippines. The uncommonality of the last name and the fact that three of those countries were at one point or another colonized by Spain has led me to theorize Spanish origin.
Sacramento Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning "sacrament" in Spanish and Portuguese.
Sáenz Spanish
Patronymic from an unidentified personal name, possibly from Sancho.
Sahagún Spanish
Habitational name from Sahagùn in Lleón province.
Sainz Spanish
A variation of the surname Sáenz, derived from the extremely popular medieval given name Sancho... [more]
Saiz Spanish
Variant of Sáez.
Saldaña Spanish
Habitual surname for a person from any of the locations in Spain named Saldaña. The name itself comes from the older name Gili-Zalan, which is of uncertain meaning.
Saldívar Spanish
Castilianized variant of Basque Zaldibar, a habitational name from a place so named in Biscay province. The place name is of uncertain derivation: it may be from zaldu ‘wood’, ‘copse’ or from zaldi ‘horse’ + ibar ‘water meadow’, ‘fertile plain’.
Salguero Spanish
Means "willow tree" in Spanish, ultimately from Latin salix. It was either a topographic name for someone who lived near willow trees or a habitational name for someone from the city of Salguero in Burgos, Spain (also derived from this word).
Sallas Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Occitan, Galician, Portuguese, Aragonese, Asturian, Romanian, Greek
Either a variant of Salas or Sala, or else a nickname from Arabic, Turkish, or Persian salli meaning "broad, wide, large, tall".
Salmerón Spanish
It indicates familial origin within the vicinity of the eponymous Murcian volcano.
Salomón Jewish, Spanish
From the given name Salomón.
Salvatierra Spanish
Spanish: habitational name from any of the places called Salvatierra (literally ‘save land’ denoting a place of strategic importance).... [more]
Samaniego Basque, Spanish
Habitational name from a town and municipality in Álava, Basque Country, of uncertain etymology.
Samba Spanish
Spanish surname of unknown origin maybe from the same origin as the name for the dance. Omar Samba has this surname.
Sampedro Spanish, Galician, Portuguese
habitational name from any of several places especially in Galicia so named for a local church or shrine dedicated to Saint Peter; variant of San Pedro.
Sanabria Spanish
Spanish cognate of Seabra.
San Andrés Spanish
Means "Saint Andrew" in Spanish.
San Francisco Spanish
In honor of Saint Francis.
San Jorge Spanish
“St George”
San José Spanish
Habitational name from any of various places called San José, so named for a local church or shrine dedicated to Saint Joseph (San José).
San Juan Spanish
Means "Saint John", derived from Spanish santo "saint" combined with Juan 1. This is a habitational name for a person from any of various places called San Juan, so named for a local shrine or church dedicated to Saint John (San Juan).
Sanjurjo Spanish
Spanish: Habitational Name From Any Of Numerous Places In Galicia (Spain) Named Sanjurjo For A Local Church Or Shrine Dedicated To Saint George
San Luis Spanish
In honor of Saint Louis.
San Martín Spanish
Habitational name from any of various places named San Martín, so named for a local shrine or church dedicated to Saint Martin (San Martín).
San Martín Spanish
(San Martín; also Sanmartín): habitational name from any of numerous places so named for a local shrine or church dedicated to Saint Martin (Spanish San Martín).
San Miguel Spanish
Habitational name from any of the numerous places so named for a local shrine or church dedicated to St. Michael (San Miguel).
San Pedro Spanish
Means Saint Peter in Spanish
San Román Spanish
San Roman refers to a family line of Spanish and Italian origin. The term San Roman in Spanish or Castilian refers to ' St. Roman ' and the name is a habitual name from any of the persons from the local church or shrines of Saint Roman.
Sanroman Spanish
San Roman refers to a family line of Spanish and Italian origin. The term San Roman in Spanish or Castilian refers to ' St. Roman ' and the name is a habitual name from any of the persons from the local church or shrines of Saint Roman.
Santacruz Spanish
Habitational name from any of numerous places called with Santa Cruz 'the Holy Cross' from the dedication of a local church or shrine from santa 'holy' + cruz 'cross'.
Santaella Spanish
It indicates familial origin within the eponymous Andalusian municipality at the coordinates 37°34′03″N 4°50′48″W.
Santamaría Spanish
Means "Saint Mary" in Spanish, used as a name for someone from any of various locations named after the Virgin Mary.
Santamaria Italian, French, Spanish
Italian and French cognate of Santamaría as well as a Spanish variant.
Santander Spanish
From the toponymy, it is discussed whether Santander is a derivation of San Emeterio or San Andrés. Due to the proximity of the Basque country (Ander = Andrés) and the tenor of some ancient texts, it can be concluded that it refers to San Andrés... [more]
Santano Spanish
Possibly a variant of Santana.
Santas Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Possibly a nickame for someone born on All Saint's Day.
Santayana Spanish, Spanish (Philippines)
Spanish variant of Santana. This name was borne by the Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana (1863-1952).
Santelices Spanish
It indicates familial origin within the eponymous locality of the municipality of Merindad de Valdeporres.
Santisteban Spanish
Habitational name from any of numerous places called Santisteban or Santesteban (from the Latin genitive form Sancti Stephani) for a local church or shrine dedicated to Saint Stephen.
Santistevan Spanish
Status of nobility
Santostefano Spanish
Habitational name of numerous churches dedicated to Saint Stephen
Sanx Spanish
A variation of the surname Sáenz, derived from the popular medieval given name Sancho. This given name was originally derived from the Latin name Sanctius a derivative of the Latin word 'sanctus', meaning 'holy'... [more]
Sard English, French, Spanish, Italian
In the book surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary by Henry Harrison and Gyda (Pulling) Harrison 1912 - Reprinted 1996. The Sard surname (which has been in England, Italy and Europe for a long time) is defined thus on page 136.... [more]
Sardina Italian, Spanish, Galician
From sardina Galician sardiña "sardine" used for someone as a catcher or seller of the fish or a nickname for a thin person.
Sargento Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino
Spanish and Portuguese form of Sergeant. It's also mostly used in the Philippines.
Saviñón Spanish
Probably of French origin, an altered form of Savignon which is from a pet form of the personal name Savin or a habitational name from place called Savignon in Ardèche.
Sebastián Spanish
From the given name Sebastián.
Segoviano Spanish
One who came from Segovia, a region from Spain.
Segundo Spanish
From the given name Segundo.
Seminario Spanish (Latin American)
Means "seminar" in Spanish, likely denoting an academic person. Miguel Grau Seminario (1834-1879) was the most renowned Peruvian naval officer and hero of the naval battle of Angamos during the War of the Pacific
Sequeira Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese variant and Spanish form of Siqueira.
Serafín Spanish, Galician
From the given name Serafín.
Serbia Spanish
Unknown.. researching history of the spanish name that was first identify being used in Utado Puerto, Rico in 1790s by Fransico Serbia and Paula Serbia Filare
Serote Spanish (Filipinized)
Means fecal matter in Spanish
Severiano Spanish
From the given name Severiano
Severo Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Severo
Sevilla Spanish
Habitational name from the city of Seville (or Sevilla) in Andalusia, Spain. The city's name is probably derived from Phoenician šplh meaning "valley, plain" through Arabic إِشْبِيلِيَة‎ (ʾišbīliya).
Sevillano Spanish
habitational name for someone from Seville. Variant of Sevilla
Seville Spanish, English
a city in southwestern Spain; a major port and cultural center; the capital of bullfighting in Spain. Synonyms: Sevilla Example of: city, metropolis, urban center. a large and densely populated urban area; may include several independent administrative districts... [more]
Sicilia Spanish, Italian
Denotes someone from Sicily.
Sigüenza Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Silvera Spanish
Spanish cognate of Silveira.
Silvestre Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Silvestre.
Silveyra Spanish
Topographic name from silveira 'woodland', a collective derivative of silva (see Silva ); or a habitational name from any of the places called Silveira in Lugo and Pontevedra provinces, Galicia, Iberia.
Simancas Spanish
It indicates familial origin within either of 2 places: the municipality in the Comarca of Campiña del Pisuerga or the administrative neighborhood of the Madrid district of San Blas-Canillejas.
Simplicio Italian, Spanish
From the given name Simplicio
Sobalvarro Spanish
Sobalvarro/Sobalbarro is a surname with known origins in the Iberian Peninsula. The first record of the name appears in the Basque regions of Spain. The name was purportedly constructed by combining the family name of Soba with the newly given Christian name, Alvarro.
Sofia Spanish
From the given name Sofia.
Solana Spanish (Latin American)
Derived from solano 'place exposed to the sun'
Solano Spanish, Aragonese
From various Spanish place names, which are derived from Spanish solano meaning "place exposed to the sun" (from Late Latin solanus "pertaining to the sun", a derivative of sol "sun")... [more]
Solar Spanish (Rare), Catalan, Aragonese, Asturian
Spanish, Catalan, Aragonese, and Asturian-Leonese: topographic name from Latin solarius ‘ancestral home’ (a derivative of solum ‘ground’, ‘floor’), perhaps denoting someone who lived near or at the house of an important family.
Solíz Spanish
Variant of Solís.
Solomón Jewish, Spanish
From the given name Solomón.
Solorio Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the vicinity of the Sierra de Solorio mountain range that straddles Aragon, La Mancha, & Old Castile.
Solórzano Spanish
Habitational name for someone originally from the municipality of Solórzano in Cantabria, Spain.
Sonora Spanish
From Spanish sonoro meaning "sonorous", perhaps a nickname for a loud person.
Soria Spanish (Rare)
The Spanish last name, Soria, comes from a city in Spain called Soria
Soriano Spanish
Habitational sephardic name for someone from Soria in Castile, from the adjective soriano 'from Soria'.
Sotelo Spanish
From any of various places in Galicia named Soutelo, derived from Galician souto meaning "grove, plantation".
Sotero Galician, Spanish (?)
From the given name Sotero
Sotomayor Spanish
Castilianized form of Soutomaior.
Spain English, Spanish (Anglicized)
Derived from a geographical locality. 'of Spain.' A very early incomer.
Sta Maria Spanish
Means "St. Mary"
Suarez Spanish (Americanized), Filipino
Unaccented form of Suárez primarily used in America and the Philippines.
Suazo Spanish, Basque (Hispanicized)
Castilianized form of Basque Zuazo.
Subercaseaux French, Spanish (Latin American)
The Subercaseaux family is a Chilean family of French descent. They became well known during the 19th century due to their wealth amassed in Norte Chico. They have played a very significant role in Chilean mining, winemaking, politics and arts.
Sudan Arabic, Italian, Spanish
Ethnic name or regional name for someone from Sudan or who had traded with Sudan. The name of the country is ultimately derived from Arabic سُود (sud) meaning "black", referring to the darker skin of the inhabitants.
Sultán Spanish, Galician
Spanish and Galician form of Sultan.
Tabares Spanish
Spanish form of Tavares.
Tabernero Spanish
Tabernero is a Spanish-language occupational surname literally meaning "tavern keeper".
Tadeo Spanish
From the given name Tadeo
Tafolla Spanish
Possibly a derivative of southern Spanish tafulla, tahulla, a term denoting a measure of land. The surname is not found in present-day Spain.
Tafoya Spanish
Possibly a variant of Tafolla.
Talamantes Spanish
Habitational name from Talamantes in Zaragoza province
Talavera Spanish
Spanish: habitational name from any of several places named Talavera, especially Talavera de la Reina in Toledo province.
Tallón Spanish
Either a Spanish variant of Catalan Talló (see Tallo) or a habitational name from any of the places in A Coruña, Ourense, and Pontevedra provinces called Tallón.
Tamayo Spanish
from a town in the burgos region in spain.
Tarancón Spanish
It indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Tardáguila Spanish
Tardáguila is a Spanish surname that is believed to have originated from the Basque region of Spain. The surname is a combination of the words "tarda", which means late, and "aguila", which means eagle... [more]
Tartaro Spanish
Ethnic name or regional name for someone who was from Tatarstan or who had traded with Tatarstan.
Tejada Spanish
Meaning "roof" or "lime tree."
Tejas Spanish
Variant of Tejada.
Tejeda Spanish
Variant of Tejada.
Tejero Spanish
Occupational Spanish surname for a tiler, its origin may be in Saragossa, Spain. A famous bearer is Antonio Tejero, a Lieutenant Colonel who was responsible for the 23-F coup attempt.
Téllez Spanish
from the given name Tello which is the Spanish form of the name Tellus, meaning "earth" in Latin
Tenorio Spanish
Possibly a habitational name from a place called Tenorio in Pontevedra province, Spain.
Tercero Spanish
Means "third" in Spanish (see Tercero).
Terriquez Spanish
A Spanish patronymic name of unknown meaning.
Tesoro Spanish, Italian
from tesoro "treasure" (from Latin thesaurus "hoard") applied as a metonymic occupational name for a treasurer. In some cases this may be a habitational name from El Tesoro in southern Spain... [more]
Tiburcio Spanish
From the given name Tiburcio
Tico Spanish
From the given Tico.
Timoteo Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
From the given name Timoteo.
Tirado Spanish
Likely a nickname for a person with long limbs, from the Spanish tirado meaning "stretched".
Tobar Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Castilian municipality.
Tobías Spanish, Catalan, Galician, Jewish
From the given name Tobías.
Toledo Spanish
Habitational name from the city of Toledo in Spain, derived from Latin Toletum of uncertain meaning.
Tolentino Spanish, Filipino, Portuguese, Italian (Rare), Judeo-Italian
Ultimately derived from the name of a town in the province of Macerata, Italy (see Tolentino). This was adopted as a Spanish given name in honour of the 14th-century Italian saint and mystic Nicholas of Tolentino... [more]
Tomás Spanish, Portuguese, Irish
From the given name Tomás.
Toribio Spanish
From the given name Toribio.
Toro Spanish, Italian
Either a habitational name from Toro in Zamora province. Compare De Toro . Or a nickname for a lusty person or for someone who owned a bull or a metonymic occupational name for a tender of bulls or possibly for a bull fighter from toro "bull" (from Latin taurus).
Torralba Spanish, Catalan, Aragonese
Habitational name from any of several places called Torralba, named with torre meaning "tower" + alba meaning "white".
Torras Spanish (?)
Means 'towers' in Spanish. Similar to name Torres.
Torre Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Italian cognitive and, Spanish and Portuguese variant of Torres. From torre "tower" (from Latin turris).
Torrent Spanish
A topographical name for someone who lived by a flood stream, deriving from the Spanish torrente. Topographical surnames were among the earliest created, since both natural and man-made features in the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguish names in the small communities of the Middle Ages... [more]
Torrez Spanish
Variant of Torres.
Torriente Spanish (Latin American, Rare)
Cuban name likely meaning "river".
Torrubiano Spanish
It indicates familial origin within the municipality of Torrubia de Soria.
Toscano Italian, Spanish
Originally indicated someone who came from the region of Tuscany in central Italy.
Traspeña Spanish
It indicates familial origin within the locality of Traspeña de la Peña in the municipality of Castrejón de la Peña.
Trejo Spanish
Spanish habitational surname, for someone from Trexo, a place in Asturias in northwest Spain.
Treviño Spanish
Habitational name from either of the places so named in the provinces of Burgos and Santander, possibly derived from Latin trifinium "place where three boundaries meet".
Triano Spanish
Possibly a habitational name from Triano, the Castilianized name of the Basque towns called Abanto and Urtuella, in Biscay province, Basque Country.
Trigueros Spanish
Habitational name from places in Huelva and Valladolid named Trigueros, from a derivative of trigo ‘wheat’, or possibly triguero ‘corn merchant’. Nickname from triguero ‘dark blond’, ‘corn colored’.
Trillo Spanish
It literally means "threshing board".
Trinidad Filipino, Spanish
Means "trinity" in Spanish, referring to the Holy Trinity.
Truan Spanish
Means "Knave" or "Joker"
Trueba Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the vicinity of the eponymous Castilian river.
Tulum Yucatec Maya
Means "wall" in Mayan language.
Uceda Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Uclés Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Umpiérrez Spanish
Means "son of Umpierro" in Spanish. The medieval given name Umpierro is of uncertain meaning.
Uñalivia Spanish (Rare)
Has no specific meaning but it was a rare spanish name
Urbano Italian, Spanish
From the given name Urbano.
Vaamonde Spanish
Variant of the habitational surname Bahamonde, from one of the Galician places called Baamonde (earlier written Bahamonde) in the province of Lugo most probably Santiago de Baamonde (Begonte).
Val Spanish, French
It means valley. It comes from Britain and then moved to Aragón (Spain).
Valadez Asturian, Spanish, Mexican
Asturian-Leonese variant of Valdez.
Valbuena Spanish
Habitational name from any of the places called Valbuena for example in Valladolid Cáceres and Salamanca.
Valderrábano Spanish
It indicates familial origin within the eponymous municipality.