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

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Puerto Rican Culture Expert Jose Rivera shares common Puerto Rican last names

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

Last Updated: January 12, 2026 Fact Checked

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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, we talked to Puerto Rican Culture Expert Jose Rivera to learn about how Puerto Rican surnames are passed down and which are most well-known.

Popular Puerto Rican Surnames

Puerto Rican Culture Expert Jose Rivera says that these are some of the most popular Puerto Rican last names:

• Sánchez
• Rivera
• Rodríguez
• Díaz
• González
• Pérez
• García
• Colón

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Section 1 of 4:

Popular Puerto Rican Last Names

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1. 
   Many common Puerto Rican last names are based on Spanish surnames. According to Rivera, “Most Puerto Rican last names follow traditional Spanish naming customs, often rooted in patronymics ('son of') or geographic descriptors.” They also feature names relating to locations in Spain, like Lugo. Some simply describe a place, like Acevedo, meaning “holy tree.”

   • García – Means “young,” “youthful,” or “bear.”
     • Rivera says that this is one of the most widespread surnames in the Spanish-speaking world.
   • Rodriguez – Son of Rodrigo, from Germanic roots meaning “famous power” or “renowned ruler.”
   • González – Son of Gonzalo, typically tied to meanings associated with battle or warriors. One interpretation is “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 or shore.
     • Rivera says that this name is “strongly tied to Puerto Rican identity” and is “frequently encountered in diaspora communities.”
   • Hernández – Son of Hernando, meaning “adventurous traveler.”
   • Mendez – Son of Mendo, meaning “mind, intellect.”
   • Carrasquillo – Diminutive of “carrasco,” meaning “kermes oak.”
   • Perez/Pérez – Son of Pedro, derived from the Greek “petros,” meaning “rock.”
   • Figueroa – Means “fig tree grove.”
   • Nieves – Means “snows;” related to “Our Lady of the Snows.”
   • Diaz/Díaz – Son of Diego, which is linked to Santiago or James. Some interpretations connect the meaning to “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 fortifications.
   • Martinez – Son of Martin, meaning “warrior of Mars.”
   • Sanchez/Sánchez – “Son of Sancho.” May derive from Latin (or a Basque/Latin blend) connected to “holy.”
     • Rivera points out that this is one of the “most common surnames on the island.”
   • 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/Colón – Means “colonizer;” the city of Cologne.
     • Rivera explains that this name is “historically associated with Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus).” He says that although the name is sometimes linked to “dove,” “the name’s Puerto Rican significance is primarily historical.”
   • Ramirez – Son of Ramiro, meaning “wise protector.”
   • Cruz – Means “cross,” for those living near a cross monument.

   Meet the wikiHow Expert

   Jose Rivera is a Puerto Rican culture expert, social media strategist, and content creator with over 200 million views across his social media channels. He's passionate about creating bilingual content that inspires others.
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Section 2 of 4:

Unique Puerto Rican Last Names

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1. 
   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.

   • 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 “Highlander” or “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 – From Latin “mirandus,” meaning “admirable” or “worthy of admiration.”
   • 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.
   • Vélez – “Son of Vela,” tied to medieval naming traditions; common throughout the Caribbean.

Section 3 of 4:

Famous Puerto Rican Last Names

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1. 
   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.”

   • 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 “branches” or “bouquets,” sometimes interpreted as “son of Ramo.”
   • 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 – Toponymic, meaning “beautiful court.”
   • Pagán – Rooted in the Latin “paganus,” meaning “villager” or “rural dweller.”
     • Rivera says that this is “a familiar surname associated with notable Puerto Rican public figures.”
   • Sánchez – Son of Sancho.
   • Fuentes – Means “fountains” or “springs,” traditionally for those living near natural water sources.
   • Correa – Means “belt” or “strap,” originally an occupational name for leatherworkers.
   • Romero – Means “pilgrim.”
   • Melendez – Son of Melendo.
   • Peña – Means “rock” or “cliff.”
   • Rosario – Related to the rosary prayer.
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Section 4 of 4:

Facts About Puerto Rican Surnames

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1. 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”).

   • Many Puerto Ricans use two surnames, says Rivera—“typically the father’s followed by the mother’s, creating combinations like Rivera Rodríguez or Sánchez Pérez.”
   • Rivera adds, “Even when a name is linguistically Spanish, its history sits at the crossroads of multiple continents. Historical records show that Indigenous Taíno and African surnames often didn’t survive in written archives due to colonial naming practices. Today, many Puerto Ricans actively explore or reclaim Taíno and African identity through language, genealogy, and cultural expression, even if their family names remain Spanish.”
2. 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.”
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