The 100 most common surnames in Colombia

Colombian surnames are part of the Hispanic roots of this Latin American nation. The local Aborigines were not in the habit of using a name that represented the family and was passed down from generation after generation, so this became part of the life of Colombians after the conquest of the Spanish people.

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The list of the most frequent Colombian surnames

Colombian names are part of the ancestors and to differentiate them a particle indicating descent, for example, the Iberian suffixes ez, iz, oz, meant "sons from". To learn a little more about Colombian surnames, we leave, below, a list of the 100 most popular surnames in Colombia.

1. Shoe

Zapata could have come from someone who sold or made a very popular shoe in the Middle Ages that reached halfway down the leg.

2. Salazar

It is made up of two Basque terms, 'sala' which means 'house or cabin' and 'zar' which translates as 'old', thus meaning 'old house'.

3. Kings

It is a surname that has three meanings: It may be that the person had the nickname of king, be employed in the royal house or be born on Three Kings Day.

4. Ortega

The origin of this surname may arise from the word 'nettle', which is a hive plant that produces itching and burning in that area of ​​the body that has contact with it.

5. Valencia

It comes from the Latin word 'valens' which translates as 'strong, healthy or brave'. It also refers to the name of some towns that were founded by the Romans whom they called 'Bravery'.

6. Gomez

It is one of the most common surnames in Colombia and means 'son of Gome' and its origin is German.

7. arias

His name is derived from Ares, the Greek God of War. In the same way, it can come from Urías, a very common name among the Jews.

8. Contreras

Last name that has three versions. It may derive from the Latin 'contraria' which means 'opposite' and comes from Contrebia, a name designated by the Romans to several cities.

9. Jaramillo

There are two possible translations of this Colombian surname. From the Arabic 'carmac' which means 'all good' and others think that it comes from the Hebrew root 'JRM' which translates as 'dedicated or consecrated'.

10. Ospina

It is of Basque origin and means 'vinegar', it is used to designate people with a strong character.

11. Velez

Its origin is Basque and it comes from the word 'vela or vele' which translates as 'crow', meaning 'son of the crow'.

12. Ruiz

It comes from the diminutive of the name Rodrigo which is 'Rui or Ruy' and means 'son of Rui'. It can also be interpreted as the son of the one who has a reputation for being powerful or the son of the one who is rich in glory.

13. Blackberry

Surname that is derived from the Latin 'morum', which refers to the fruit of the blackberry, likewise, it is believed that it comes from the color purple.

14. blacksmith

It is a surname that refers to the profession or trade of blacksmith and indicates that someone worked in this field.

15. Cardenas

It is very common in Colombia, it comes from the Latin 'cardinus' whose meaning is 'bluish'. It was also widely used to point to people who were born in Cárdenas, Spain.

16. Acevedo

It descends from the word 'holly' which is a thorny bush, it was born in Portugal in honor of the parish of Azevedo.

17. Vine

Surname with endless origins, among which is the name of a vine that produces grapes and may come from the Gothic whose meaning is fenced.

18. towers

It comes from the Latin 'turris', which was used to call defense buildings with several floors, very common in the Middle Ages, and from there its name arose.

19. Velasquez

It is a surname that was derived from the name 'Velasco', but was also formed from two Basque terms: 'Vela o vele' which means 'raven' and '-sko' which translates as 'small'.

20. Bedoya

It is considered a surname that indicates a place, it originated from the Basque word 'bediona' which means 'of the grassland'.

21. Giraldo

This surname comes from the Teutonic name 'Gairhard' which translates as 'strong for his spear', other studies indicate that it has its origin in the word 'Gairald' which means 'noble spear'.

22. Vega

Its origin is Hispanic and derives from the word 'vaica or vega', a name given to fertile land for cultivation, in the same way, it indicates a plain that is always moist.

23. Rodriguez

It is the most common surname in Colombia, its origin denotes the way in which the descendants of people with the name of Rodrigo were called.

24. Lion

It is a Spanish surname that refers to the city and ancient Iberian kingdom León.

25. Mejia

It comes from the old Spanish 'mexia' which means 'medicine'. However, some believe that it comes from the Hebrew 'mashiaj' which means 'anointed'.

26. Marin

It is an occupational surname and derives from the trade of sailors.

27. Arango

It is estimated that it comes from the Basque term arán which means 'valley', gaining great strength in Asturias, it arrived in Colombia with the arrival of the Europeans.

28. Carvajal

Its meaning refers to a group of oaks or oak groves.

29. Fernandez

It is a surname that refers to the children of Fernando, its origin and Germanic and means brave traveler or brave peacemaker.

30. Munoz

Its origin dates back to 'Munio', a Roman name meaning 'to wall or strengthen'.

31. Flórez or Flowers

In Spanish it means 'flower or flowers' and is derived from the Latin 'florus'. It can also come from the Germanic 'fruela or froyla' which means 'son of the lord of these lands'.

32. Medina

Surname with Arabic roots and means 'city'.

33. Perez

It is a surname that is derived from the masculine name 'Petrus' in Latin, whose meaning is 'stone or rock'.

34. saw

It comes from the Latin 'serra' which translates as 'mountain range or chain of mountains'. On the other hand, it means 'working tool'.

35. Vasquez

Surname whose meaning is 'son of a Basque'.

36. Rivera

It refers to the shore of a small river or lake.

37. Jimenez

He comes from 'Maximinus', which was later renamed 'Ximeno' and then 'Ximénes'.

38. Quintero

Its origin derives from the Galician word 'quinteiro' which means 'patio or yard'. It refers to the field workers known as quinteros.

39. Mendez

It comes from the Basque term 'Mendi' which means 'mountain'. It can also mean 'he who repairs'.

40. Restrepo

It is associated with the name of the Spanish town Restrepo, it is made up of the Asturian word 'ristre' which means 'row' and 'pol' which means 'town'. As a whole it means a town 'consisting of a row of houses'.

41. Acosta

It is a surname that denotes that someone came from or lived in a place near a lagoon, sea, river or lake.

42. Castro

It comes from the Latin word 'castrum' and its meaning is 'walled city, castle or fort'.

43. Hainaut

It was originally spelled 'Hainaut' and was a Belgian surname. In addition to sharing a name with a medieval county, its meaning is 'the one who crosses the forest'.

44. mendoza

It comes from the Basque language and is made up of two words: 'Mendi' which means 'mountain' and 'hotza' which means 'cold'.

45. Pain

It is a surname that denotes the name of a place because its meaning is rock or stone.

46. Sanchez

It comes from 'Sancus', a Roman god of Loyalty or Sancho, a very popular name in Spain during the Middle Ages.

47. Ramirez

Surname that is derived from the masculine name 'Ramiro' and by adding the suffix ez, it can mean 'brilliant warrior' or 'illustrious counselor'.

48. Beltran

It is a variant of the German 'Berhthramn' which is derived from 'Berth' and which means 'famous or brilliant' and 'hraan' which means 'raven'.

49. slim

It is a surname that emerges as a physical nickname of the bearer of it.

50. Waiter

It comes from the French 'garçon' which means 'young servant or waiter'.

51. Ortiz

It comes from the Latin name 'Fortunio' which translates as the 'lucky one'. In Spain it was renamed 'Ortún'.

52. Rivers

It is a surname that refers to the geography of the place of origin of a person who lived near a river.

53. Vargas

It comes from the Cantabrian word 'varga' and which means 'cliff, hillside, slope, cabin or house'.

54. Uribe

It comes from the Basque language and is made up of 'uri' which means 'city, town or village' and 'behe or be' which means 'down'.

55. Lush

It is one of the most popular surnames in Colombia. Its origin is Spanish and it means 'brave'.

56. Suarez

Surname that follows from the name 'Suaro' which means 'the shoemaker'.

57. Rosemary

Pilgrim trips to Rome were very important in the Middle Ages and that is where this surname was born, since it means 'the one who has made a pilgrimage to Rome'.

58. Finch

It comes from the name of a very common bird in Asia, Europe and North Africa called the common chaffinch.

59. Trujillo

Surname of Spanish origin with Arabic and Latin influence, it began as 'Turaca'.

60. Gil

Surname used by the children of those called Egidio or Aegidius in Latin, its meaning is 'the protected or the protector'.

61. Agudel

It is a Latin word meaning 'sharp jungle'. With this name a French town of Agudelle was called and its inhabitants became known as Agudelo.

62. Barrier

It comes from the Celtic word 'bar' which means 'fence or board fence'.

63. Caicedo

It is derived from the Basque word 'Caicedo or kaizedo', whose meaning is 'wood of oaks'.

64. Londoner

It comes from a term that refers to 'small pasture', in Spanish.

65. Diaz

Surname that is derived from the name 'Diego or Diago' and by adding the suffix -az it acquires the meaning 'son of Diego'.

66. escobar

It comes from the Latin 'scopa' which means 'brush, broom or sweeper'.

67. Forero

This is how the fueros collectors were known, that is, they collected the taxes agreed upon in the Spanish laws in the Middle Ages.

68. Garcia

It is a Colombian surname that comes from the word 'hartz' or artz which means 'bear'.

69. Hernandez

It comes from the name 'Hernando or Fernando' which the latter means 'bold traveler or adventurous traveler'.

70. dark

It is derived from the word 'maurus' which refers to the name of 'Mauritania'. Similarly, it is a way of calling dark-skinned people.

71. Silva

Latin word meaning 'forest or jungle', used to be used to name a place.

72. Corner

It is a surname used by people who lived or came from a place that had the word corner, for example: Rincón de Olivedo in Spain.

73. Warrior

It was a nickname given to soldiers who went to war, later it became a surname.

74. Avila

Name that was given to people who came from Ávila in Spain and meant 'mountain or high and grown mountain'.

75. Buitrago

It refers to some towns called Buitrago in Spain and the people who came from there.

76. cardona

It is linked to the title of the nobility of the Villa Cardona in Spain.

77. Frank

This name was given to those born in France and it is also said to the military who did not serve a country or government permanently.

78. Gutierrez

He is a patronymic of 'Gutierre', its Spanish variant is 'Walter' which means 'mighty warrior'.

79. red

Surname that refers to the color red and was applied to a site with reddish earth.

80. Cuts

It comes from the French term 'curteis' which translates as 'good manners, well mannered or friendly'.

81. Duke

It is a surname that comes from the Spanish nobility and the high aristocracy. It could become a surname due to the people who lived or worked in or near the houses of the nobles.

82. Orozco

It comes from Basque and is made up of three terms that together mean 'the one who comes from the plains in the mountains'.

83. flycatcher

It derives from Galician and refers to the maple trees that in this language are called moscón, which is why Mosquera is a place covered with these trees.

84. Martinez

Indicates 'son of Martin', comes from 'Martinus' which means 'consecrated to the God Mars'.

85. stolen

It is said that it comes from a nickname that was given to the illegitimate son of Queen Urraca I of León. Whom he was called 'Fernando el Hurtado'.

86. arias

It is said to come from Are, the Greek god of War, and from Uriah, who is called Uriah in Hebrew.

87. strap

Surname that is designated to the workers of factories of belts or straps.

88. cross

It is a surname that comes from Spain and is derived from the word 'crux' and was given to people to pay homage to the death of Jesus crucified or to people near or who lived near a cross.

89. Guzman

It comes from the German word and is made up of 'gut' which is 'good' and 'mann' which translates as 'man', together it is 'good man or good man'.

90. Bernal

It is derived from 'Bernwald or Berwald' meaning 'ruling bear'.

91. osorio

It comes from the Latin 'ursus' which means 'bear'.

92. Molina

It refers to the occupations of grain mill workers.

93. Morales

It is a surname that indicates the activity of those who work in the collection of blackberries. Another reference indicates that they are sites occupied by the Moors or Muslims.

94. Castle

Surname that comes from the Latin 'castellum' which translated indicates 'castle'. It refers to very common buildings or forts in the Middle Ages.

95. Montoya

It derives from the Basque word 'montoia' which means 'pasture site for cattle'.

96. Pineda

In this way it is called a place where there are many pine trees.

97. bouquets

It is derived from the Latin word 'ramus' which refers to the secondary stem of a plant with leaves and flowers, likewise, it is said to a flower arrangement made for a celebration. It is believed that it is a name that was given to children who were born on Palm Sunday.

98. Gonzalez

It can be written González very popular in Spain by its suffix ez and Gonzales with the ending is, common in Portugal. In both cases it means 'son of Gonzalo' or 'son willing to battle'.

99. Calderon

It refers to people who had a job that is related to the manufacture, repair or sales of cauldron.

100. Alvarez

Surname of Nordic origin that means 'son of Álvaro' and translates as 'guardian of everything'.