100+ Common Last Names in Puerto Rico (+ Famous Options)

Download Article

Plus, learn how Puerto Rican last names work

Co-authored by Maryana Lucia Vestic, MFA, M.Phil.

Last Updated: November 26, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

Popular

|

Unique

|

Famous

|

Surname Facts

|

Video

Puerto Rico is an island nation in the Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of the Virgin Islands. In addition to its natural beauty, Puerto Rico is known for its vibrant traditions and rich history, especially when it comes to last names. Read on to discover more about Puerto Rican last names and meanings, from the popular to the unique and famous. Plus, learn about how Puerto Rican surnames are passed down and which are most well-known.

Popular Puerto Rican Surnames

García
Rodriguez
González
Acevedo
Vazquez
Ortiz
Rivera

Section 1 of 4:

Popular Puerto Rican Last Names

Download Article

Many common Puerto Rican last names are based on Spanish surnames. Like many Cuban last names, they include names inspired by a father’s first name, like Ortiz (son of Ortun) and Rodriguez (son of Rodrigo). They also feature names relating to locations in Spain, like Lugo. Some simply describe a place, like Acevedo, meaning “holy tree.”^{[1]
X
Research source}
- García – Means “young” or “youthful.”
- Rodriguez – Son of Rodrigo, meaning “famous power.”
- González – Son of Gonzalo, meaning “battle genius.”
- Acevedo – From “acebo,” meaning “holly tree.”
- Vazquez – Son of Vasco, meaning “crow.”
- Ortiz – Son of Ortun, meaning “fortunate.”
- Rivera – Derived from “ribera,” meaning riverbank.
- Hernández – Son of Hernando, meaning “adventurous traveler.”
- Mendez – Son of Mendo, meaning “mind, intellect.”
- Carrasquillo – Diminutive of “carrasco,” meaning “kermes oak.”
- Perez – Son of Pedro, meaning “rock.”
- Figueroa – Means “fig tree grove.”
- Nieves – Means “snows;” related to “Our Lady of the Snows.”
- Diaz – Son of Diego, meaning “teacher.”
- Lugo – From the city of Lugo in Spain.
- Reyes – Means “kings,” given to children born on Three Kings Day.
- Torres – Means “towers,” for people living near towers.
- Martinez – Son of Martin, meaning “warrior of Mars.”
- Sanchez – Son of Sancho, meaning “sanctified.”
- Aponte – From “ponte,” meaning bridge.
- Santana – From “Santa Ana,” meaning “Saint Anne.”
- Camacho – An Arabic name meaning “place of gathering.”
- Lopez – Son of Lope, meaning “wolf.”
- Ferrer – Means “blacksmith” or “ironworker.”
- Santos – Means “saints;” given to children born on All Saints Day.
- Burgos – From the city of Burgos in Spain.
- Berrios – From “barrio,” meaning neighborhood.
- Medina – Means “city” in Arabic.
- Colon – Means “colonizer;” the city of Cologne.
- Ramirez – Son of Ramiro, meaning “wise protector.”
- Cruz – Means “cross,” for those living near a cross monument.

Section 2 of 4:

Unique Puerto Rican Last Names

Download Article

Some unique names describe the person who originally had the name. Examples include Negrón, meaning “black hair,” and Guzman, meaning “good man.” Others that stand out are Laureano, meaning “crowned with laurel,” and Concepción, referring to the Immaculate Conception.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Vargas – From “varga,” meaning “steep slope.”
- Irizarry – Means “oak grove” in Basque.
- Rosa – Means “rose.”
- Otero – Means “hill” or “high ground.”
- Negrón – Means “black hair.”
- Fonseca – Means “dry fountain.”
- Urbina – From “urban” or “city dweller.”
- Pacheco – From “palace” in Portuguese.
- Toro – Means “bull.”
- Valentin – From the name Valentine.
- Jusino – Variation of Justin, meaning “just.”
- Guzman – Means “good man.”
- Estrada – Means “paved road.”
- Serrano – Means “from the mountains.”
- Feliciano – Means “happy” or “fortunate.”
- Davila – Son of David.
- Bonilla – Means “good” or “pleasant.”
- Laureano – Means “crowned with laurel.”
- Concepción – Refers to the Immaculate Conception.
- Ocasio – Means “sunset” or “west.”
- Soto – Means “grove” or “thicket.”
- Alvarado – Means “elevated place.”
- Miranda – Means “admirable.”
- Velazquez – Son of Velasco, meaning “crow.”
- Zayas – From “zalla,” meaning “tough” in Basque.
- Santiago – Means “Saint James.”
- Robles – Means “oaks;” from areas with oak trees.
- Baez – Son of Pelayo, meaning “pelagius.”
- Silva – Means “forest.”
- Aguirre – From Basque, meaning “prominent place.”
- Vega – Means “fertile plain” or “meadow.

Section 3 of 4:

Famous Puerto Rican Last Names

Download Article

Well-known names include all kinds of meanings. Cortez means “courteous,” while Mercado means “market.” Famous occupational names like Escobar refer to a “broom maker,” while Estrella, also a girl’s name, means “star.”^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Castro – Means “from a fortress.”
- Casiano – From “Cassius,” meaning “hollow.”
- Nazario – Means “from Nazareth.”
- Montañez – Means “from the mountains.”
- Padilla – From “pan,” meaning “bread.”
- Rojas – Means “red.”
- Cortez – Means “courteous.”
- Sepúlveda – From “sepultura,” meaning “tomb.”
- Morales – Means “moral” or “mulberry trees.”
- Blanca – Means “white.”
- Acosta – Means “from the coast.”
- Estrella – Means “star.”
- Alvarez – Son of Álvaro, meaning “all guard.”
- Marrero – Related to shepherding.
- Ramos – Means “palm branches.”
- Vidal – Means “vital” or “life.”
- Jiménez – Son of Jimeno.
- Cardona – A town name in Spain.
- Mercado – Means “market.”
- Villarreal – Means “royal villa.”
- Zaragoza – A Spanish city.
- Maldonado – Means “badly given.”
- Quiñones – Means “farmland” or “portion of land.”
- Ayala – Means “hillside slope” in Basque.
- Escobar – Means “broom maker.”
- Del Toro – Of the bull.
- Ruiz – Son of Ruy, meaning “famous ruler.”
- Vázquez – From “Vasco”, meaning “from the Basque country.”
- Agosto – Means “August.”
- Caballero – Means “gentleman” or “knight.”
- Alicea – A form of Alice.
- Salgado – Means “salty” or “salted.”
- Barón – Means “baron.”
- Delgado – Means “thin” or “slender.”
- Betancourt – Means “beautiful court.”
- Pagán – Means “villager” or “rural dweller.”
- Sánchez – Son of Sancho.
- Fuentes – Means “fountains.”
- Correa – Means “leather strap” or “belt maker.”
- Romero – Means “pilgrim.”
- Melendez – Son of Melendo.
- Peña – Means “rock” or “cliff.”
- Rosario – Related to the rosary prayer.

Section 4 of 4:

Facts About Puerto Rican Surnames

Download Article

1
Puerto Rican last names are based on the Spanish naming tradition. Children are given two surnames: their father’s surname + their mother’s maiden name. Puerto Rican last name meanings are typically based on a father's first name (e.g., Melendez, meaning “son of Melendo”), locations (e.g., Nazario, meaning “from Nazareth”), occupations (e.g., Ferrer, meaning “blacksmith”), or descriptive names (e.g., Blanca, meaning “white”).^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Some Puerto Rican last names are linked to other traditions, including indigenous Taino cultures, as well as African, French, German, and Arabic.
2
The most common Puerto Rican last name is García. It means “bear,” but is also linked to the Basque “gaztea,” meaning "young,” "young warrior," or "graceful prince.” Other super popular names include Rodriguez, meaning “son of Rodrigo,” and González, meaning “battle” or “war.”^{[5]
X
Research source}