South American Submitted Surnames

South American names include those from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
usage
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Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Escobar Spanish
A topographic name from a collective form of escoba, meaning 'broom' (from the late Latin, scopa), or a habitational name from either of two minor places in Santander province called Escobedo.
Escolar Spanish
From Spanish escuela meaning "school".
Escribano Spanish
An occupational name from escribano "scribe" (from Late Latin scriba "scribe" genitive scribanis from Latin scriba genitive scribae).
Escudero Spanish
An occupational name for a squire a young man of good birth attendant on a knight or shield bearer escudero (medieval Latin scutarius a derivative of Latin scutum "shield").
Esguerra Spanish, Filipino
Castilianized form of Basque Ezkerra from ezker meaning "left, left-handed".
Esgueva Spanish
It indicates familial origin near the eponymous river.
España Spanish
From the Spanish word for Spain.
Esperón Spanish
From Spanish espera meaning to wait. Perhaps an occupational name for a waiter.
Espinal Spanish
Spanish: from any of numerous fields named Espinal or Espinar, from a collective of espina ‘thorn’.
Espíndola Portuguese (Latinized, ?)
Portuguese of uncertain origin, but possibly a topographic name or a variation of Spinola. It was taken to Portugal by an immigrant family from Genoa, Italy.
Espinosa De Los Monteros Spanish
Originating in northern Spain in the Espinosa de los Monteros municipality, it has various meanings. One meaning is that it was the surname of hidalgos who lived in Espinosa and helped the nobles get on their horses... [more]
Espiridión Spanish
From the given name Espiridión.
Espírito Santo Portuguese
Means “Holy Spirit” in Portuguese.... [more]
Espíritu Spanish
From a short form of Spanish del Espíritu Santo meaning "of the Holy Spirit, of the Holy Ghost" (Latin Spiritus Sanctus), which was the second part of religious compound names formed from the bearer's given name and del Espíritu Santo... [more]
Espiritu Spanish (Filipinized)
Unaccented form of Espíritu primarily used in the Philippines.
Esquivel Spanish
A name for someone who lives behind lime trees.
Estanislao Spanish
From the given name Estanislao.
Estanislau Portuguese
Stanislav Derived from the Slavic elements stani meaning "stand, become" combined with slava meaning "glory".... [more]
Esteruelas Spanish
Possibly from the place name Camarma de Esteruelas, a village in Madrid.
Estes Welsh, Spanish, English
a popular surname derived from the House of Este. It is also said to derive from Old English and have the meaning "of the East." As a surname, it has been traced to southern England in the region of Kent, as early as the mid-16th century.
Estrella Spanish
Derived from the word 'strella' meaning a star in Spanish.
Eufracio Spanish
From the given name Eufracio.
Eugenio Italian, Spanish
From the given name Eugenio.
Eulogio Spanish
From the given name Eulogio.
Eustáquio Portuguese
From the given name Eustáquio.
Eva Spanish, Catalan, Occitan, Italian, Portuguese
From the given name Eva.
Fábio Portuguese
From the given name Fábio.
Fabio Italian, Spanish
From the given name Fabio.
Facundo Spanish
From the given name Facundo
Fagundes Portuguese
Patronymic from the personal name Fagundo (see Facundo).
Falcão Portuguese
Portuguese surname meaning "falcon".
Faria Portuguese, Italian
Faria is a Portuguese surname. A habitational name from either of two places called Faria, in Braga and Aveiro. ... [more]
Farias Portuguese
Habitational name from any of various places in Portugal called Faria.
Farinha Portuguese
Means "wheat flour" in Portuguese.
Fausto Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From the give name Fausto.
Federico Spanish, Italian
From the given name Federico.
Fermín Spanish
From the given name Fermín.
Fernandez Spanish (Americanized), Filipino
Unaccented form of Fernández primarily used in America and the Philippines.
Ferrando Italian, Spanish
This surname can be derived from a given name (thus making it a patronymic surname) as well as from a nickname (thus making it a descriptive surname). In the case of a patronymic surname, the surname is derived from the medieval masculine given name Ferrando, which was in use in both Italy and Spain during the Middle Ages... [more]
Ferraz Portuguese
From a nickname derived from Latin ferrum meaning "iron".
Figueiredo Portuguese
Name for someone from any of various places named Figueiredo, from Portuguese figueiredo meaning "fig tree orchard".
Figueredo Portuguese, Spanish
Portuguese variant of Figueiredo as well as the Spanish form.
Filipe Portuguese
From the given name Filipe.
Firmino Portuguese
Surname descendant of Firmino, meaning “firm”. A famous bearer is Brazilian footballer Roberto Firmino.
Flamenco Spanish (Latin American)
From the name of the art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain.
Florêncio Portuguese
From the given name Florêncio
Florencio Spanish
From the given name Florencio
Florino Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Florino.
Floro Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
From the given name Floro.
Fontañez Spanish
From the Latin fons meaning "fountain."
Fortuna Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
Means "fortune" in Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.
Fraga Portuguese
Fraga, also derived from the Spanish variation of the word frescas meaning "strawberries", in the Portugal it translates to "from the cliffs or cliffside"
Fraire Spanish
Comes from Latin frater meaning "brother".
França Portuguese
Means "France" in Portuguese.
Francês Portuguese
Portuguese cognate of Frances.
Frances Spanish, Catalan
From Spanish and Catalan meaning "French". Denoting someone of French origin.
Francia Italian, Spanish
From Latin francia "France" an ethnic name for a Frenchman.
Franquez Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese for "son of Franco."
Frederico Portuguese
From the given name Frederico.
Frías Spanish
Taken from the city of Frías, in Spain. The name of the city is taken from the Spanish phrase aguas frías, meaning "cold waters".
Fructuoso Spanish
From the given name Fructuoso.
Fuenmayor Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Riojan municipality.
Fuensalida Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Fuerte Spanish
Derived from the Spanish word "fuerte" meaning strong.
Fulcar Spanish (Latin American)
Most common in the Dominican Republic.
Funes Spanish
Derived from a town named 'Funes' in Navarre.
Furtado Portuguese
Means "stolen" in Portuguese, probably used to refer to an illegitimate or kidnapped child.
Gabaldon Spanish
Habitational Name From Gabaldón In The Province Of Cuenca.
Gabino Spanish
From the given name Gabino.
Galán Spanish
From Spanish meaning "prince".
Galicia Spanish
Spanish: ethnic name for someone from the former kingdom of Galicia, now an autonomous region of northwestern Spain.
Galíndez Spanish
Patronymic from the personal name Galindo.
Galindo Spanish
Either from the given name Galindo or from the name of the Galindians, an ancient Baltic tribe.
Gall Spanish
In fact it is Catalan. See italian Gall... [more]
Gallegos Spanish
Habitational name from any of various places named Gallegos, derived from Spanish gallego meaning "Galician".
Galo Spanish
From the given name Galo.
Galván Spanish
From the given name Galván.
Galvão Portuguese
From the given name Galvão.
Gálvez Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Castilian municipality in the Province of Toledo.
Gama Portuguese
Probably from gama ‘fallow deer doe’, feminine form of gamo, possibly as a topographic or habitational name.
Gamiao Spanish (Modern, ?)
from a Basque nickname means "good member"
Gamiz American (Hispanic, Anglicized, Rare), Spanish, Filipino, English (American)
The last name Gamiz is a varient of Gamez and Gomez. It is a very rare last name that not many people have.
Garcés Spanish
Meaning "son of García" ultimately from medieval spanish Garsea, using the patronymic suffix és/ez
Garson Scottish, French, English, German (Anglicized), Spanish, Jewish
Variant of Scottish Carson and Corston, French Garçon, Spanish-Jewish Garzon and English Garston, or an Americanised form of German Gerson... [more]
Gascueña Spanish
It indicates familial origin within either of 2 Manchego municipalities: Gascueña or Gascueña de Bornova.
Gastelum Spanish
Hispanic (Mexico): Probably An Altered Form Of Basque Gaztelu (See Gastelo ).
Gat Spanish
The catalan form of "gato" cat
Gato Spanish
Gato is a Spanish, Portuguese and Galician word for cat.
Gaudioso Italian, Spanish
From the given name Gaudioso.
Gavilán Spanish
It literally means "Eurasian sparrowhawk".
Gayangos Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the Castilian comarca of Las Merindades.
Genaro Spanish
From the given name Gennaro, but without the 2nd n
Gentoo Indian, Telugu, Portuguese
It is a Telugu name, most likely meaning "Gentile". It was first used by the Portuguese.
Geraldo Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Geraldo.
Gerardo Italian, Spanish
From the given name Gerardo
Gerena Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Andalusian municipality.
Gerónimo Spanish
From the given name Gerónimo.
Ginebra Spanish
From the Spanish word ginebra, meaning "gin," possibly ultimately from the Latin iuniperus, meaning "juniper."
Ginés Spanish
From the given name Ginés.
Giraldo Spanish
Spanish: From The Ancient Germanic Personal Name Giraldo Equivalent To Gerald .
Giron Spanish
Of Galician origin. Occupational name for a clothing maker.
Godínez Spanish
Patronymic from the personal name Godino.
Godoy French, Spanish
It is derived from the personal name Gaudi.
Goettems German, Brazilian
Brazilian adaptation of the German surname Goedems; altered for easier comprehension by the Portuguese-speaking population of Brazil. All members of the Goettems family in Brazil are descendants of Johann Goedems, born in Oberlöstern, Saarland, on September 17, 1798.
Gomez Spanish (Americanized), Filipino
Unaccented form of Gómez primarily used in America and the Philippines.
Gonçalo Portuguese
From the given name Gonçalo.
Gonsalves English (British), Portuguese, Indian (Christian)
Variant of Gonçalves more commonly used in Britain and western India.
Gonzaga Spanish, Portuguese, Italian (Archaic)
Habitational name for someone from a location called Gonzaga in Mantua, Italy. This was the name of an Italian family that ruled Mantua from 1328 to 1708.
Gonzalez Spanish (Americanized), Filipino
Unaccented form of González primarily used in America and the Philippines.
Gordillo Spanish
Derived from the Spanish pet form of fat, "gordito"
Gordinho Portuguese
Diminutive of Gordo.
Gordo Spanish, Portuguese
Means "fat" in Spanish and Portuguese.
Graciano Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Graciano.
Granado Spanish
Nickname from Spanish granado "mature", "experienced", "distinguished".
Granado Spanish
Occupational name for a grower or seller of pomegranates, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a pomegranate tree, from granado "pomegranate tree" (cf. GARNETT).
Granados Spanish
Occupational name for a grower or seller of pomegranates, or a topographic name for someone who lived near a pomegranate tree, from granado "pomegranate tree" (cf. GARNETT).
Granda Spanish
Spanish form of the surname Grand.
Grande Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
Means "tall, large" in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, used as a nickname for a person of large stature.
Grano Italian, Spanish
from grano "grain" (from Latin granum) probably applied as a metonymic occupational name for a farmer or grain merchant.
Grañón Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Riojan municipality.
Greco Portuguese
Portuguese for Greco.
Griego Spanish
Means "from Greece" in Spanish
Grijalva Spanish
Spanish: habitational name from any of various places called Grijalba in particular the one in Burgos province. The placename is from iglesia 'church' + Old Spanish alva 'white'.
Grimaldo Spanish, Italian
From the given name Grimaldo.
Gruezo Catalan, Spanish (Latin American)
From Catalan meaning "thick".
Guajardo Spanish
Spanish: unexplained. Perhaps a habitational name from a place so named in Estremadura. This name is common in Argentina, Chile, and Mexico. ... [more]
Guardado Spanish
The surname Guardado means save, protect, and guard in Spanish
Guàrdia Catalan, Spanish, Italian
Catalan, Spanish, and Italian from Catalan guàrdia, Spanish and Italian guardia ‘guard’, ‘watch’, a topographic name for someone who lived by a watch place, an occupational name for a member of the town guard, or a habitational name from any of the numerous places named (La) Guardia.
Güero Spanish (Latin American, Rare)
A given nickname in latin America of a person with light features.... [more]
Guevara Spanish
Hispanicized form of Gebara. A notable bearer was Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara (1928-1967), who was born Ernesto Guevara.
Guevera Spanish
means "protector"
Guijarro Spanish
Spanish: nickname from guijarro 'pebble' perhaps applied to a man who sold pebbles (used for paving the streets).
Guillén Spanish
From the given name Guillén.
Guillen Spanish
Unaccented form of Guillén.
Guillermo Spanish
From the given name Guillermo
Guimarães Portuguese
Habitational name for someone originally from the city of Guimarães in northern Portugal.
Gusmão Portuguese
Portuguese cognate of Guzmán.
Gustavo Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Gustavo.
Gutierre Spanish
From the given name Gutierre.
Guzman Spanish (Americanized), Filipino
Unaccented form of Guzmán used mainly in America and the Philippines.
Hay English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Frisian
Scottish and English: topographic name for someone who lived by an enclosure, Middle English hay(e), heye(Old English (ge)hæg, which after the Norman Conquest became confused with the related Old French term haye ‘hedge’, of Germanic origin)... [more]
Henares Spanish
Derived from the Celtic form of "brave". Also is the name of many towns (Alcala de Henares, Espinosa de Henares, Tortola de Henares...) and a river
Henrique Portuguese
From the given name Henrique.
Heredia Spanish
Habitational name from any of various places in Basque Country called Heredia, probably derived from Latin heredium meaning "hereditary estate".
Hermosillo Spanish
Nickname for a dandy, from a diminutive of hermoso "finely formed, handsome". From Latin formosus, from forma "shape, form, beauty".
Hernandez Spanish (Americanized), Filipino
Unaccented form of Hernández primarily used in America and the Philippines.
Higuaín Spanish (Rare), Basque (Hispanicized)
Derived from the Basque surname Iguain, of uncertain origin.
Hilario Spanish
From the given name Hilarius.
Holanda Portuguese, Spanish
Spanish and Portuguese form of Holland.
Honesto Spanish
From the given name Honesto.
Honorato Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Honorato
Honorio Spanish
From the given name Honorio
Horta Catalan, Portuguese
Means "garden" (Latin hortus), hence a topographic name for someone who lived by an enclosed garden or an occupational name for one who was a gardener.
Hoya Spanish
is a habitational (local) name, taken on from any of several place names, such as from Hoyos in Cáceres province, or Hoyos in Ávila province. These place names come from the Spanish words "hoyo," meaning "pit," or "hole."
Huamán Quechua (Hispanicized)
Hispanicized form of Quechua waman meaning "falcon, hawk".
Huertas Spanish
Plural form of Spanish huerta meaning "garden, orchard".
Huidobro Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous neighborhood of the Castilian municipality of Los Altos.
Humberto Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Humberto.
Hurtado Spanish
Derived from the Spanish word hurtar, meaning "to steal".
Ildefonso Spanish
From the given name Ildefonso.
Illescas Spanish
This indicates familial origin within the eponymous Manchego municipality.
Inácio Portuguese
From the given name Inácio.
Indalecio Spanish
From the given name Indalecio.
Infante Spanish
From infante literally "child", but in Spain also a title borne by the eldest sons of noblemen before they inherited, and in particular by the son of the king of Castile; thus the surname probably originated either as a nickname for one of a lordly disposition or as an occupational name for a member of the household of an infante.
Ingles Spanish
Spanish (Inglés): ethnic term denoting someone of English origin, from Spanish Inglés ‘English’.
Iniesta Spanish
Possibly from iniesta meaning "leafhopper".
Íñigo Spanish
From the given name Íñigo.
Inocêncio Portuguese
From the given name Inocêncio.
Isidro Spanish
From the given name Isidro.
Isla Spanish
Means "island" in Spanish.
Issac English, Spanish
From the given name Issac.
Jacinto Portuguese, Spanish
From the given name Jacinto.
Jacó Portuguese
From the given name Jacó.
Jacobo Spanish
From the given name Jacobo.
Jaimez Spanish
Means "son of Jaime" in Spanish.
Japon Filipino, Spanish, French
Ethnic name or regional name for someone from Japan or who had connections with Japan.
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