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.
Quinto Aragonese, Spanish, Catalan, Italian
Habitational surname for a person from a place called Quinto, for example in Zaragoza province. However, the high concentration of the surname in Alacant province suggests that, in some cases at least, it may derive from the personal name Quinto (from Latin Quintus denoting the fifth-born child or Catalan quinto "young soldier").... [more]
Quirino Spanish, Portuguese
From the given name Quirino.
Quispe Quechua (Hispanicized)
Hispanicized form of Quechua qispi meaning "free".
Rabago Spanish
Habitational name from Rábago in Cantabria province.
Rachlyn Jewish (Rare), Polish (Rare), Brazilian (Rare)
Rachlyn is a Jewish surname derived directly from polish "Rachman". This surname is very rare and apparently only few members in Brazil, descendants of Polish survivors of Holocaust.... [more]
Raij Spanish, Judeo-Spanish, Portuguese, Romani (Caló)
Borrowed from Hindi राइज (raij) meaning "rice". This surname is found among Christian and Jewish Caló families.
Raimundez Spanish
Means "son of Raimundo" in Spanish.
Ramalho Portuguese
Means "cut branch, brushwood" in Portuguese, used as a habitational name from any of various places called Ramalho.
Ramirez Spanish (Americanized), Filipino
Unaccented form of Ramírez primarily used in America and the Philippines.
Ramkissoon Trinidadian Creole, Mauritian Creole, South African, South American
Altered form of Ramakrishnan used mainly in Trinidad and Tobago, Mauritius, South Africa and Guyana. This surname is not used in India.
Ramón Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan
From the given name Ramón.
Ramone Spanish (Anglicized), Portuguese (Anglicized), Catalan (Anglicized)
From Spanish, Portuguese, and Catalan Ramón, from the personal name Ramón or Ramon, of Germanic origin (see Raymond).
Rampersaud Indian, South American
Indo-Guyanese variant of Rampersad.
Rangel German, Spanish, Portuguese
A variant of Rengel. This name is also found in Portugal.
Rascon Spanish
Possibly a nickname for Rascón, meaning “sharp”, “sour”, or “rail (the bird)”
Raya Galician, Spanish
Possibly a habitational name from Raya in Galicia or in Albacete and Murcia provinces. Possibly a topographic name from Spanish raya meaning "line", denoting the boundary between two countries or provinces.
Raymundo Spanish
From the given name Raymundo.
Real Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Galician
Either a habitational name from any of numerous places called Real; those in Galicia (Spain) and Portugal being named from real "royal" or as variant of Rial while those in southern Spain and Catalonia are named in part from real meaning "encampment rural property" (Arabic raḥāl "farmhouse cabin")... [more]
Rebolledo Spanish
Habitational name from any of various places called Rebolledo for example Rebolledo de la Torre in Burgos from rebollo denoting a species of oak.
Regalado Spanish, Spanish (Philippines), American (Hispanic)
Means "gifted", "pleasant", or "capable".
Rego Portuguese
Primarily Iberian, particularly Portuguese in origin. A topographic name for someone who lived by a channel.
Regueiro Galician, Portuguese
The name originated in Ourense (Galicia) in the 14th Century. It´s literal meaning in Portuguese is river. It is a surname referring to a person who lived near a river or water source.
Reina Spanish, Portuguese
Either a habitational name from any of the places called Reina. Or most likely from the female personal name Reina (from Latin Regina) otherwise a nickname from reina "queen".
Reinoso Spanish
Meaning "place of fields".
Reis Portuguese
Means "kings" in Portuguese.
Remigio Italian, Spanish
From the given name Remigio
Rengel Spanish
Habitational name from a place called Rengel in Málaga province.
Rentería Spanish
Spanish Castilianized variant of Basque Errenteria, habitational name from either of the two Basque towns called Errenteria in Gipuzkoa and Biscay provinces, Basque Country.
Requena Spanish, Catalan
habitational name from Requena in Valencia or Requena de Campos in Palencia apparently so called from a short form of the various Visigothic compound personal names with the first element rīc "powerful" with the addition of the locative suffix -ena.
Requião Portuguese
Derived from the name of a village in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal, ultimately from the name of Rechila, a 5th-century Suevic king of Gallaecia.
Reséndez Spanish
Means "son of Resendo"
Resurrección Spanish
A nickname for someone who had resurrected from the dead.
Reta Spanish
Castilianized variant of Basque Erreta, a habitational name from a town called Erreta in Navarre, Basque Country
Reyna Spanish
This could be transferred use of the first name Reyna, a variant of Reina, which means "queen".
Reynals Spanish (Rare)
Variant from Spanish word Rey "king". Most likely referred to the royalty. Variant of Reynolds.
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 Margharita ‘Margaret’, 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.
Robleda Spanish
From Spanish meaning "oak grove".
Roel English, Spanish, Dutch, German
From the name Roeland, meaning "famous country".
Rogelio Spanish
From the given name Rogelio.
Rojan Spanish
Variant of Rojas.
Romaña Spanish
Habitational name from the Italian city of Romagna.
Romeu Portuguese
From the given name Romeu.
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.
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.
Rueda Spanish
Derived from the Spanish word "rueda" meaning "wheel."
Sá Portuguese, Galician
Variant spelling of Saa, a habitational name from any of the numerous places named Saa, mainly in northern Portugal and Galicia.
Saa Portuguese, Galician
Habitational name from any of the numerous places named Saa, mainly in northern Portugal and Galicia.
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 Saenz, derived from the extremely 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'.
Saiz Spanish
Variant of Sáez.
Salas Spanish, Galician, Aragonese, Portuguese, Catalan, Asturian
Habitational name from places named with salas, plural form of sala, meaning "room, hall" in Spanish and Asturian. Also an anglicized form of the Hungarian name SZÁLAS "tall".
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.
Saldanha Portuguese
Portuguese cognate of Saldaña.
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’.
Salgado Galician, Portuguese
Nickname for a witty person, from Galician or Portuguese salgado meaning "salty" (figuratively "witty, sharp").
Salgueiro Portuguese, Galician
Portuguese and Galician cognate of Salguero.
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]
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.
Sanches Portuguese
Portuguese cognate of Sanchez.
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]
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
Sanx Spanish
A variation of the surname Saenz, 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]
São João Portuguese
Means "St. John" in Portuguese.
São Jorge Portuguese
“St George.”
São Lucas Portuguese
Means "St. Luke" in Portuguese.
São Pedro Portuguese
Means Saint Peter in Portuguese.
Saraiva Portuguese
It literally means "hail".
Saramago Portuguese
It's the name of a plant.
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.
Sardinha Portuguese
Portuguese last name meaning "sardine seller".
Sargento Spanish, Portuguese, Filipino
Spanish and Portuguese form of Sergeant. It's also mostly used in the Philippines.
Sarmento Portuguese
Portuguese cognate of Sarmiento.
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.
Schaal German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Jewish
Either a nickname for a braggart or a market crier, (derived from Middle High German schal meaning "noise, bragging"), an occupational name for someone who made dishes for scales and vessels for drinking, (from Middle Low German and Dutch schale "dish"), a habitational name from Schaala in Thuringia or the Schaalsee lake near Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, or a topographic name for someone living on marshy land, (from Dutch schald "shallow")... [more]
Schincariol Italian, Portuguese
Unknown meaning.
Seabra Portuguese
Habitational name from the town of Puebla de Sanabria in northwestern Spain of uncertain meaning, possibly of Arabic, Celtic or Latin origin.
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.
Segura Spanish, Catalan, American (Hispanic)
Derived from Spanish segura "safe, secure".
Seixas Portuguese
Habitational name from any of various places called Seixas in Galicia, Spain, most likely derived from Galician seixo meaning "pebble, stone" (ultimately from Latin saxum).
Senna Portuguese
Possibly coming from the surname "Sanna", it may mean "one with a big protruding tooth".... [more]
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).
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.
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.
Silvia Portuguese (Americanized)
SILVIA is an Americanized version of the Portuguese surname Silva, which is derived from the Latin silvae and Portuguese silva words meaning “forest,” “woodland,” or “jungle.” This variation of the surname SILVA was often adopted by Portuguese immigrants upon arrival to the United States.
Silvinski Brazilian
The exact origin of Silvinski is unknown.
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.
Sobral Portuguese
Means "cork oak grove" in Portuguese.
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.
Souto Portuguese, Galician
Portuguese and Galician cognate of Soto.
Spain English, Spanish (Anglicized)
Derived from a geographical locality. 'of Spain.' A very early incomer.
Spínola Portuguese
Portuguese topographic name from a diminutive of espinha ‘thorn’, ‘thorn bush’.
Sta Maria Spanish
Means "St. Mary"
Suarez Spanish (Americanized), Filipino
Unaccented form of Suárez primarily used in America and the Philippines.
Suazo Spanish, Spanish (Latin American), Basque
"Castilianized form of Basque Zuhatzu, habitational name from places in Araba and Navarre named Zuhatzu, from Basquezu(h)aitz‘tree’ + the collective suffix -zu, tsu."... [more]
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.
Suleiman Portuguese
From the Given Name Suleiman.
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.
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