70 rare or curious surnames in Spanish

There are many nicknames that ended up becoming striking and unusual surnames.

García, González, Díaz, Rodríguez, Fernández, López... most people living in Spain know someone with this surname, as these are some of the most common surnames in this country.

However, there are a large number of surnames that are not so common, some of them being strange for the majority of the population. Below we show you some of them, specifically 70 rare or curious surnames in Spanish.

Rare surnames in Spanish

A person's surname can have very ancient origins, some of them starting from words known even today. Some surnames originated from the profession of their first bearers.The product of that office or different qualities, states, nicknames or adjectives used in ancient times to define a person. Below you can see about sixty of them.

1. Zuzunaga

This is one of the surnames that apparently has fewer bearers in this country, with very few people currently registered with this surname.

2. Sorní

A very uncommon surname, most of those who have it are originally from Catalonia or Valencia.

3. Garza

The holders of this unusual surname, which comes from the name of a bird, are spread all over Spain, especially in Zaragoza.

4. Sandemetrio

Being probably originated from the martyr San Demetrio, the bearers of this surname have a large presence in the Valencian community.

5. Urriaga

Here we have one of the rare surnames of Basque origin, where at present most of those who carry it live in Valencia.

6. Bonachera

Those who carry this surname are scattered all over the peninsular territory, being more frequent in Barcelona and Almería.being somewhat more frequent in Barcelona and Almeria.

7. Vital

Although we all know the meaning of vital as "energetic, full of life", the existence of this word as a surname is not so well known.

8. Pregonas

This surname derives from the verb pregonar, to announce something publicly. Possibly it originates in the trade of one of its first bearers.

9. Sazón

The word sazón implies the idea of maturity, immediacy or opportunity.

10. Sorda

The origin of this surname is probably a nickname given to a person with some kind of disability or hearing difficulty..

11. Enamorado

In the case of the surname Enamorado, this is derived from the concept of falling in love, that is to say, the quality of being affectionately and romantically linked to others.

12. Cacharro

Although the word cacharro as we use it today refers to something in bad condition, not very useful and of no value, it also refers to a type of vessel used in the kitchen, which is probably the origin of this curious surname.

13. Viper

It is not unusual to find surnames based on the name of different animals. A not too frequent one is the surname Víbora.

14. Cama

This surname can have two possible origins. One may be the adoption of a nickname for individuals who make beds. The other derives from the Catalan term for leg, being probable that the presence of a malformation gave origin to a nickname that ended up becoming a surname.

15. Pieldelobo

Another uncommon surname, may be due to the hunting and tanning of the skin of these animals..

16. Piesplanos

This surname is probably the product of a nickname received by a person who had this anatomical condition.

17. Fork

This surname refers to the kitchen utensil that most of us know. It could have originated as a surname in people who manufactured them or to the occurrence of some kind of anecdote that ended up generating a nickname.

18. Dolphin

This rare surname, although it may seem to be derived from an animal, has its origin in the saints' calendar. Specifically from Saint Dolphin. Likewise, it is a derivation of the name of the city of Delphi.

19. Pechoabierto

Some surnames refer to specific parts of the human anatomy. This is the case of Pechoabierto, very uncommon.

20. Alcoholado

Surname difficult to find nowadays, this surname of Malaga origin seems to refer to the consumption of spirits.

21. Verdugo

The word executioner refers to a person who executes the death sentences issued by the governing or judicial organs. By extension, it is also understood as such a person who harms others by manifesting a high level of cruelty. Possibly its use as a surname is due to the office of one of the first to bear it.

22. Ugly

Although it is debated if the origin of this surname is Portuguese or Spanish, it is based on the nickname imposed on the son of Gil Anes de Ataide due to the consideration that he was physically unattractive.

23. Llagaria

An uncommon surname, it is located especially in Valencia.

24. Cidoncha

Unusual surname that has holders especially in Extremadura.

25. Anacleto

The origin of this word can be found in the pope during the 1st century, Saint Anacletus. The word itself derives from the Greek anakletos which implies the idea of being requested or needed.

26. Parraverde

The origins of this surname, found especially in Zaragoza, are debated. They can be found in the union of the lineages Parra and Verde, or in the addition of the adjective verde to the surname due to some circumstance.

27. Nuero

This surname comes from the masculinized term used to designate the partner of the offspring (we say masculinized because while there is a daughter-in-law, the word nuero is not accepted, but the term to talk about the man who is the partner of the offspring is yerno).

28. Nomdedeu

Rare surname that means name of God, in Catalan.

29. Piernavieja

This surname is probably due to the adoption of a nickname for someone with malformations. This surname has been present in territories such as the Canary Islands.

30. Perfume

The origin of this surname goes back very far in time, having records of people with it since the eleventh century.. Probably derived from the occupation of some of its first bearers.

31. Ariztimuño

Of Basque origin, most of those who possess it live in Guipúzcoa or Navarra.

32. Arrubal

This surname comes from the place name of the city of the same name, in La Rioja.

33. Barato

The origin of this surname is very debatable, being the most probable that we are before a variant of the French surname Barat. Its most remote origins come from the Celtic term barad.

34. Viejobueno

One of the most infrequent surnames, it is probably due to a nickname or appellative given to someone, either in a positive way or as a joke.

35. Cayado

Although the word cayado refers to a cane with a curved end, this surname is derived from the toponym Cayado.This surname is derived from the toponym of the Asturian town of Cayado.

36. Callado

It comes from the adjective with which some individuals were nicknamed for being silent and not very talkative. However, it tends to be considered but in general it is a derivation of the previous surname mentioned. This form is more frequent.

37. Hunter

Derived from the trade that gives it its name, this surname is nowadays not very frequent.

38. Caimanes

One of the rare surnames derived from the toponym of a Colombian town. of a Colombian population.

39. Sin

This surname is very infrequent, being also one of the shortest.

40. Zas

This surname of Guipuzcoan origin, although not very frequent, has been part of several families.

41. Rajado

The origin of this surname may be due to the presence of wounds and scars that led to the creation of a nickname.

42. Chinchurreta

This surname of Basque origin is present not only in Spain, but has also been exported to Latin America, being Mexico the country where it is most prevalent.

43. Cosío

There are records of this surname during the Reconquest, specifically during the conquest of the Balearic Islands. Its origin is in the town of Cossío, in Cantabria, although it is of Italian origin.

44. Fermonsel

It is another another uncommon surname, of possible French origin. It may be related to the word fermosura, an old term used to define beauty (nowadays beauty).

45. Gandul

The word gandul refers to the property of being lazy and vague. Probably its origin is in the adoption as surname to a nickname or nickname.

46. Piernabierta

The presence of injuries and war wounds are also a frequent element in the formation of nicknames and surnames, as in this case.

47. Guarnido

Dispersed throughout the Spanish geography and in other countries, mainly Spanish-speaking, this surname is not excessively common within our borders. The word garrisoned currently refers to being supplied (regardless of the type of supply we are talking about).

48. Physics

It is not very common to find surnames referring to scientific disciplines. In this case, it probably refers to some kind of medical professional, called physicists in ancient times.

49. Sacamoco

A not very common surname whose most probable origin is in a nickname assigned to someone.

50. Lucid

With about twenty people bearing this surname, this is another of the strangest ones. Although it may refer to lucidity or clarity of thought, it seems that this surname has Italian origins.

51. God

This surname exists, and although it may not seem very common, the truth is that there are more than three thousand people with this surname.

52. Parahoy

The surname Parahoy does not have at present many people who carry it. However, it is possible to find them in Spain as well as in Latin America and the United States. Although it is a legend, it is said that this surname originated in the answer given by a tailor when he was asked when he would have a job ready.

53. Triunfo

Undoubtedly, one of the most motivating rare surnames. Besides standing out for its positive connotationsIt is only carried by about eighteen people.

54. De la Polla

This unusual surname is also one of the least frequent. Of Italian origin. In our country it can also be due to a nickname derived from physiological elements or from animal breeding.

55. Hergueta

It is generally considered a variant of the surname Elgueta. Its origin comes from the Basque word elgeta, which means "multitude of cultivated fields".

56. Bru

More frequent in Catalonia and Valencia, this surname comes from the word bru, a Catalan word meaning brown/brown/brown.

57. Raga

The origin of this surname is debated, proposing that it could have French origin and finding references of this surname in the battle of Lepanto. Although not very frequent, at present many of its bearers are originally from Valencia.

58. Cuñat

Not very frequent, this Catalan surname comes from the term cunyat (brother-in-law in Catalan), which designates the brother of one of the components of a couple.

59. Pruñonosa

The origin of this surname is in the town of Prunyonosa in Lleida, which receives its name from the presence of endrinales in the area (prunyoners in Catalan).

60. Fonollar

This curious surname is a not very frequent form of another oneFenollar. This last one is born from the word fonoll, Catalan term for fennel.

61. Lujan

Surname from the area of Aragón and Castilla la Mancha.

62. Fajardo

A very old surname from Galicia and Asturias. Its meaning is not clear.

63. Coscojuela

A surname from the area of Sobrarbe, in Aragon.

64. Funes

A surname of French origin with presence in Spain.

65. Mantilla

Rare surname with origins in Cantabria.

66. Gallur

Surname of toponymic origin very infrequent. Its origins are in Aragon.

67. Melgar

The meaning of this rare Castilian surname refers to the melgas, furrows made in the land for cultivation.

68. Longán

This is a rare surname in Spain, with origins in France, although it has been adapted to the phonetics in Spanish.

69. Ibars

Catalan surname relatively uncommon in Spain.

70. Cedeño

Surname of little diffusion, it appears in shields of the campaign of the Spanish reconquest.