Hispanic and Spanish surnames carry some of the most storied heraldic traditions in the world. Spanish heraldry — one of Europe’s oldest — developed during the Reconquista, when Christian kingdoms fought to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula. Nobility was granted for military valor, and coats of arms were the permanent record of that honor.
Today, millions of people across the Americas carry Spanish surnames with heraldic traditions stretching back to medieval Castile, Aragon, León, and Navarre.
50 Common Hispanic Surnames & Their Heraldic Symbols
- García — A golden oak tree and two wolves; originally Basque, meaning “bear” or “young”
- Martínez — A silver tower and a knight; from Martín (St. Martin), widespread across Spain
- López — A wolf (lobo); from Lope (wolf), one of Spain’s most ancient noble surnames
- González — An eagle and three fleur-de-lis; from Gonzalo, a Visigothic name
- Rodríguez — A castle and three bars; from Rodrigo, the legendary last Visigoth king
- Hernández — An arm holding a sword; from Hernando/Fernando, the conqueror’s name
- Sánchez — A red castle on gold; from Sancho, a royal Navarrese name
- Pérez — A silver pear tree; from Pedro (Peter), one of Spain’s most common names
- Gómez — A silver lion on red; from Gome, an old Hispano-Visigothic name
- Flores — Three golden flowers on blue; literally “flowers,” a widespread surname
- Díaz — A black eagle on gold; from Diego (James), an ancient Castilian name
- Reyes — Three gold crowns; from reyes (kings), indicating royal connections or patronage
- Morales — A mulberry tree; from moral (mulberry), a geographic surname
- Jiménez — A castle and a key; from Jimeno, the founding dynasty of Navarre
- Ruiz — A black wheel on gold; from Rodrigo (Ruy/Ruiz), Castilian
- Torres — Two or three towers; directly from the Spanish word for towers
- Ramírez — A golden eagle; from Ramiro, a Navarrese and Aragonese royal name
- Vega — A green field with a stream; from vega (fertile riverside plain)
- Castro — A castle; the literal meaning of castro (fortified settlement)
- Vargas — A black bull; from bargas (steep terrain), widespread in Andalusia
- Castillo — A three-towered castle; straightforwardly from “castle” in Spanish
- Ramos — Three green branches; from ramos (branches), a common Spanish surname
- Ortiz — A gold star on blue; from Ort (fortune), a Basque-origin name
- Mendoza — Red and gold stripes; one of Castile’s most powerful medieval noble families
- Rojas — A red field; from rojas (red), indicating a family associated with red heraldry
- Herrera — Horseshoes on red; from herrera (blacksmith’s forge or iron mine)
- Medina — A city gate and walls; from Arabic medina (city), widespread in Andalusia
- Aguilar — An eagle (águila); indicating a place or family associated with eagles
- Guerrero — A warrior in armor; from guerrero (warrior), a military family name
- Delgado — Three silver bars; from delgado (slim/slender), a descriptive name
- Cruz — A red or gold cross; from cruz (cross), a deeply Catholic name
- Fuentes — A fountain; from fuentes (springs/fountains), a geographic surname
- Gutiérrez — A golden castle; from Gutierre, a medieval Leonese name
- Navarro — A chain-linked border; the arms of the Kingdom of Navarre
- Pacheco — A golden mountain and stars; a Portuguese-Spanish noble family
- Pizarro — A rocky terrain design; from the Extremaduran family of the Peruvian conqueror
- Cortés — A crown and cross; from cortés (courteous), and the famous conquistador’s family
- Lara — A black cauldron; from the medieval lords of Lara in Castile
- Salazar — Thirteen stars on blue; a Basque-origin noble family
- Montoya — A mountain and a cross; from Montoya in Álava, Basque Country
- Aragon — Gold and red stripes; the royal arms of the Crown of Aragon
- Vásquez — A shepherd’s crook; from Vasco (Basque), indicating Basque ancestry
- León — A purple lion; the arms of the Kingdom of León
- Serrano — Mountains and a pine tree; from serrano (of the mountain range)
- Ibáñez — A sword and a cross; from Ibáñez (son of Juan/Ibán), Basque origin
- Alvarado — Gold and red bars; from Alvarado in Extremadura
- Contreras — Three silver towers; from Contreras in Burgos, Castile
- Villanueva — A new village scene; from villa nueva (new settlement)
- Espinosa — A thornbush; from espinosa (thorny place)
- Maldonado — A red cross on gold; from Maldonado in Salamanca, a Castilian noble family
The Legacy of Spanish Heraldry in Latin America
When Spanish conquistadors and colonists arrived in the Americas, they brought their heraldic traditions with them. Many Latin American families today carry the coats of arms of their Spanish colonial ancestors — preserved in church records, notarial archives, and family documents across Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, and beyond.
If your family has Spanish or Latin American roots, the heraldic archives of both Spain and the former colonies may hold your family’s coat of arms.
Find Your Hispanic Coat of Arms
- Search your Hispanic family name — find the coat of arms associated with your surname
- A personalized signet ring — wear the seal of your Spanish heritage
- A framed coat of arms print — display your family’s heraldic identity