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Filipino Last Names

Filipino last names blend Spanish, Tagalog, Visayan, Ilocano and Chinese influences. The list above gives each surname with its meaning, and the notes below explain where the most familiar ones came from.

249 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

  • Abad

    Spanish for abbot

  • Agbayani

    Ilocano: to be a hero

  • Agcaoili

    Ilocano surname; meaning uncertain

  • Aglipay

    Ilocano surname; meaning uncertain

  • Agoncillo

    Spanish: from Agoncillo in La Rioja

  • Aguilar

    Spanish: place of eagles

  • Agustin

    Spanish: Augustine; venerable

  • Alcantara

    Spanish from Arabic: the bridge

  • Alvarez

    Spanish: son of Álvaro

  • Andres

    Spanish: Andrew; manly

  • Ang

    Hokkien: from 洪 (Hong), flood, vast

  • Angeles

    Spanish for angels

  • Antonio

    Spanish: from the Roman family name Antonius, of uncertain origin

  • Aquino

    Spanish/Italian: from Aquino; after Thomas Aquinas

  • Arellano

    Spanish: from Arellano in Navarre

  • Austria

    Spanish: after the House of Austria

B

  • Bagatsing

    Punjabi origin: from Bhagat Singh

  • Baltazar

    Spanish: one of the Three Kings

  • Bantug

    Visayan: famous, renowned

  • Bautista

    Spanish: baptist; after John the Baptist

  • Bayani

    Tagalog for hero

  • Belmonte

    Spanish: beautiful mountain

  • Bernardo

    Spanish: strong as a bear

  • Bituin

    Tagalog for star

  • Borja

    Spanish: from Borja in Aragon

  • Briones

    Spanish: from Briones in La Rioja

  • Buenaventura

    Spanish: good fortune

  • Buhay

    Tagalog: life, alive

C

  • Caballero

    Spanish for knight

  • Cabral

    Spanish/Portuguese: goat pasture

  • Cabrera

    Spanish: goat pasture

  • Calderon

    Spanish for cauldron

  • Capistrano

    Spanish: after Saint John of Capistrano

  • Carpio

    Spanish: from El Carpio in Córdoba

  • Castillo

    Spanish for castle

  • Castro

    Spanish: fortified hill

  • De Castro

    Spanish: of the fort

  • Chan

    Cantonese: from 陳 (Chen)

  • Chua

    Hokkien: from 蔡 (Cai), name of an ancient state

  • Clemente

    Spanish for merciful

  • Co

    Hokkien: from 許 (Xu), to permit

  • Cojuangco

    Hokkien: from the full name of a Co (許) ancestor

  • Concepcion

    Spanish: conception; Immaculate Conception

  • Corpuz

    Spanish: Corpus Christi, body of Christ

  • Cortez

    Spanish for courteous

  • Cristobal

    Spanish: Christopher; Christ-bearer

  • Cruz

    Spanish for cross

  • Custodio

    Spanish for guardian

D

  • Dakila

    Tagalog: great, noble

  • Dalisay

    Tagalog for pure

  • David

    Hebrew: beloved; adopted in Spanish era

  • Dela Cruz

    Spanish: of the cross

  • Dela Paz

    Spanish: of peace

  • Delos Reyes

    Spanish: of the kings

  • Delos Santos

    Spanish: of the saints

  • Diaz

    Spanish: son of Diego

  • Dimaano

    Tagalog: cannot be harmed

  • Dimaapi

    Tagalog: cannot be oppressed

  • Dimaculangan

    Tagalog: cannot be lacking

  • Dimagiba

    Tagalog: cannot be toppled

  • Dimalanta

    Tagalog: cannot be wilted

  • Dimasalang

    Tagalog for untouchable

  • Dimatulac

    Tagalog: cannot be pushed

  • Dimayuga

    Tagalog: cannot be shaken

  • Dizon

    Hokkien-derived: second grandchild (jī-sun)

  • Domingo

    Spanish: Sunday; of the Lord

  • Dy

    Hokkien: from 李 (Li), plum

E

  • Enriquez

    Spanish: son of Enrique

  • Espiritu

    Spanish: spirit; the Holy Spirit

  • Esteban

    Spanish: Stephen; crown

  • Estrada

    Spanish: paved road

  • Eusebio

    Spanish from Greek: pious

  • Evangelista

    Spanish for evangelist

F

  • Fajardo

    Spanish: from a Galician place name

  • Feliciano

    Spanish: happy, fortunate

  • Fernandez

    Spanish: son of Fernando

  • Flores

    Spanish for flowers

  • Francisco

    Spanish: Francis; Frenchman

G

  • Galang

    Tagalog/Kapampangan: respect, honor

  • Gallardo

    Spanish for gallant

  • Gan

    Hokkien: from 顏 (Yan), face

  • Garcia

    Spanish, possibly Basque for young

  • Gaspar

    Spanish: one of the Three Kings; treasurer

  • Gatbonton

    Tagalog: Gat (noble title) + Bonton

  • Gatchalian

    Tagalog title Gat (noble) with Chalian, possibly Chinese-derived

  • Gatdula

    Tagalog: Gat (noble title) + Dula

  • Gatmaitan

    Tagalog: Gat (noble title) + Maitan

  • Geronimo

    Spanish from Greek: sacred name

  • Go

    Hokkien: from 吳 (Wu), name of an ancient state

  • Gokongwei

    Hokkien: Go (吳) with an ancestor's given name

  • Gomez

    Spanish: son of Gome

  • Gonzales

    Spanish: son of Gonzalo; battle

  • Gregorio

    Spanish from Greek: watchful

  • Guevarra

    Spanish from Basque: from Gebara in Álava

  • Gutierrez

    Spanish: son of Gutierre

  • De Guzman

    Spanish: of Guzmán, a place in Burgos; possibly Germanic good man

H

  • Hernandez

    Spanish: son of Hernando

I

  • Ignacio

    Spanish: after Saint Ignatius; Latin Egnatius, later linked to ignis, fire

  • Ilagan

    Possibly Tagalog/Ibanag: place of dodging

J

  • Jacinto

    Spanish for hyacinth

  • Javier

    Spanish from Basque: new house

  • De Jesus

    Spanish: of Jesus

  • Jimenez

    Spanish: son of Jimeno

K

  • Kalaw

    Tagalog for hornbill

  • Katigbak

    Tagalog: from a native reed grass

L

  • Lacson

    Possibly Hokkien-derived: sixth grandchild (la̍k-sun)

  • Lagman

    Kapampangan surname of uncertain meaning

  • Lao

    Hokkien: from 劉 (Liu)

  • Laurel

    Spanish: laurel tree

  • Lee

    Hokkien/Cantonese: from 李 (Li), plum

  • Legarda

    Spanish from Basque: place name in Álava

  • Legaspi

    Spanish from Basque: from Legazpi

  • De Leon

    Spanish: of León; of the lion

  • Lim

    Hokkien: from 林 (Lin), forest

  • Limjoco

    Hokkien: Lim (林) with an ancestor's given name

  • Liwanag

    Tagalog for light

  • Lopez

    Spanish: son of Lope; wolf

  • Lorenzo

    Spanish: from Laurentum; laurel

  • Lozada

    Spanish: place of slate slabs

  • Lualhati

    Tagalog for glory

  • Luna

    Spanish for moon

M

  • Mabini

    Tagalog: modest, humble

  • Macapagal

    Tagalog/Kapampangan: one who can tire out; tireless

  • Macaraeg

    Possibly Pangasinan/Ilocano: able to win

  • Macaraig

    Tagalog: able to overcome

  • Macasaet

    Tagalog: able to hurt

  • Macatangay

    Tagalog: able to carry away

  • Madrigal

    Spanish: from Madrigal

  • Magbanua

    Visayan: to found a town; town-builder

  • Magpantay

    Tagalog: to make level; to equalize

  • Magsaysay

    Possibly Sambal/Tagalog: to narrate, to tell

  • Magsino

    Tagalog: possibly who is it

  • Magtibay

    Tagalog: to strengthen

  • Malabanan

    Tagalog: one who fights back; resistant

  • Malaya

    Tagalog for free

  • Maliwanag

    Tagalog: bright, clear

  • Malvar

    Spanish: from Malvar; mallow field

  • Manalastas

    Tagalog: possibly to strip or peel

  • Manalo

    Tagalog: to win

  • Manansala

    Possibly Kapampangan: one who errs

  • Mangahas

    Tagalog: to dare, to venture

  • Mangubat

    Visayan: to go to war, to fight

  • Marasigan

    Tagalog surname of uncertain meaning

  • Marcos

    Spanish: Mark; of Mars

  • Mariano

    Spanish: of Mary

  • Marquez

    Spanish: son of Marcos

  • Martinez

    Spanish: son of Martín

  • Matapang

    Tagalog for brave

  • Mateo

    Spanish: Matthew; gift of God

  • Matias

    Spanish: Matthias; gift of God

  • Medina

    Spanish from Arabic: city

  • Mendoza

    Spanish from Basque: cold mountain

  • Mercado

    Spanish for market

  • Miranda

    Spanish: from towns named Miranda, of uncertain origin

  • Mirasol

    Spanish: sunflower; looks at the sun

  • Molina

    Spanish for mill

  • Montemayor

    Spanish: great mountain

  • Morales

    Spanish: mulberry trees

  • Del Mundo

    Spanish: of the world

N

  • Natividad

    Spanish for nativity

  • Navarro

    Spanish: from Navarre

  • Nepomuceno

    Spanish: after Saint John of Nepomuk

  • Nicolas

    Spanish from Greek: victory of the people

O

  • Obispo

    Spanish for bishop

  • Ocampo

    Spanish from Galician: the field

  • Ong

    Hokkien: from 王 (Wang), king

  • Ongpin

    Hokkien: Ong (王) with an ancestor's given name

  • Ortega

    Spanish: possibly nettle or grouse

P

  • Pacheco

    Spanish: possibly peaceful

  • Padilla

    Spanish: small pan; pan-shaped valley

  • Palma

    Spanish: palm tree

  • Pamintuan

    Kapampangan: doorway, gate

  • Panganiban

    Tagalog: danger, peril

  • Pangilinan

    Tagalog/Kapampangan: to observe a holy day, abstain

  • Paredes

    Spanish for walls

  • Pascual

    Spanish: of Easter

  • Perez

    Spanish: son of Pedro; rock

  • Pineda

    Spanish: pine grove

  • Punzalan

    Tagalog surname of uncertain meaning

Q

  • Quiambao

    Hokkien-derived; common in Pampanga

  • Quijano

    Spanish: possibly from Quijas in Cantabria

  • Quirino

    Spanish from Latin Quirinus

R

  • Ramirez

    Spanish: son of Ramiro

  • Ramos

    Spanish: branches; Palm Sunday

  • Recto

    Spanish: upright, straight

  • Reyes

    Spanish: kings; the Three Kings

  • Rivera

    Spanish for riverbank

  • Robles

    Spanish: oak trees

  • Roque

    Spanish: after Saint Roch

  • Rosales

    Spanish: rose bushes

  • Del Rosario

    Spanish: of the rosary

  • Roxas

    Spanish: old spelling of Rojas, red

S

  • Sabado

    Spanish for Saturday

  • Salazar

    Spanish from Basque: old hall

  • Salcedo

    Spanish: willow grove

  • Salonga

    Tagalog surname of uncertain meaning

  • Salvador

    Spanish for savior

  • Samson

    Biblical Hebrew: sun; adopted in Spanish era

  • San Jose

    Spanish: Saint Joseph

  • Sanchez

    Spanish: son of Sancho; holy

  • Santa Maria

    Spanish: Saint Mary

  • Santiago

    Spanish: Saint James

  • Santos

    Spanish: saints; All Saints' Day

  • Sarmiento

    Spanish: vine shoot

  • Serrano

    Spanish for highlander

  • Sevilla

    Spanish: from Seville

  • Sicat

    Tagalog: famous; rising sun

  • Silva

    Spanish/Portuguese for forest

  • Sison

    Hokkien-derived: fourth grandchild (sì-sun)

  • Soliman

    From Arabic Sulayman; after Rajah Sulayman

  • Soriano

    Spanish: from Soria

  • Suarez

    Spanish: son of Suero

  • Sumaya

    Tagalog: to become happy

  • Sumulong

    Tagalog: to advance, to move forward

  • Sy

    Hokkien: from 施 (Shi), to bestow

  • Sycip

    Hokkien: Sy (施) with an ancestor's given name

  • Syquia

    Hokkien: Sy (施) with an ancestor's given name

T

  • Tagle

    Spanish: from Tagle in Cantabria

  • Tan

    Hokkien: from 陳 (Chen), name of an ancient state

  • Tanco

    Hokkien: Tan (陳) with an ancestor's given name

  • Tecson

    Hokkien-derived: possibly grandson of Tek

  • Tiangco

    Hokkien: from an ancestor's full name

  • Tiongson

    Hokkien-derived: possibly grandson of Tiong

  • Tiu

    Hokkien: from 張 (Zhang), to stretch a bow

  • Tolentino

    Spanish/Italian: after Saint Nicholas of Tolentino

  • Tomas

    Spanish: from Thomas; twin

  • Torres

    Spanish for towers

  • Trinidad

    Spanish: the Trinity

  • Tuason

    Possibly Hokkien-derived: eldest grandchild (tōa-sun)

  • Tumulak

    Visayan: to set out, to depart

  • Tupas

    Visayan: after Rajah Tupas of Cebu

U

  • Umali

    Tagalog surname of uncertain meaning

  • Uy

    Hokkien: from 黃 (Huang), yellow

V

  • Valdez

    Spanish for valley

  • Valencia

    Spanish: from Valencia; strength

  • Valenzuela

    Spanish: little Valencia

  • Velasco

    Spanish from Basque: little crow

  • Ventura

    Spanish: good fortune

  • De Vera

    Spanish: of the riverbank

  • Vergara

    Spanish: from Bergara in Gipuzkoa

  • Vicente

    Spanish for conquering

  • Villafuerte

    Spanish: strong town

  • Villanueva

    Spanish: new town

  • Villegas

    Spanish: from Villegas in Burgos

Y

  • Yap

    Hokkien: from 葉 (Ye), leaf

  • Yu

    Hokkien: from 余 or 于

  • Yuchengco

    Hokkien: from the full name of a Yu ancestor

Z

  • Zamora

    Spanish: from Zamora

  • Zulueta

    Spanish from Basque: place name in Navarre

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Results (6)

  • Martinez

    Spanish: son of Martín

  • Villafuerte

    Spanish: strong town

  • Tagle

    Spanish: from Tagle in Cantabria

  • Del Rosario

    Spanish: of the rosary

  • Magsino

    Tagalog: possibly who is it

  • Quijano

    Spanish: possibly from Quijas in Cantabria

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    Why so many Filipino last names sound Spanish

    In 1849 the Spanish governor general Narciso Clavería issued a decree to fix surnames across the islands. Many Filipinos at the time used saints' names or had no fixed family name at all, which made tax and census records hard to keep. The colonial government distributed a book, the Catálogo alfabético de apellidos, containing thousands of Spanish and native words, and families were assigned or chose surnames from it. In some provinces whole towns received names starting with the same letter.

    That is why a Filipino today may carry Santos, Reyes, Cruz or Bautista without any Spanish ancestry. The catalogue also included native words, which explains surnames such as Dimaculangan (never lacking), Dimagiba (cannot be toppled), Macaraeg and Lacsamana, from a Malay title for an admiral. Names beginning with Di-, Ma- or Laca- often come from Tagalog phrases describing strength or character. In Albay you can still find towns where many surnames begin with one letter, a direct trace of the 1849 lists.

    Common Filipino last names and their origins

    Counts of Philippine records usually put Dela Cruz, Garcia, Reyes, Ramos, Mendoza and Santos near the top, with Flores, Bautista, Villanueva and Ocampo also widespread. Religious names are prominent: Santos means saints, Reyes means kings (after the Three Kings), Cruz means cross and Bautista refers to John the Baptist. Garcia and Mendoza are ordinary Spanish surnames, Ocampo means of the field and Villanueva means new town. Several of these appear in the list above with fuller meanings.

    Chinese Filipino families add another layer. Many took Hispanicised names formed from a Chinese ancestor's full name, so Cojuangco, Tiongson, Yuchengco and Gokongwei each join syllables that were once a surname and a given name. Others adopted Spanish surnames at baptism. Muslim families in Mindanao and Sulu often carry names of Arabic origin, such as Hassan, Ibrahim and Abdulla, and in some communities a family name is built from a father's or grandfather's given name.

    Most common Filipino last names versus rare finds

    If you are writing a Filipino character, a common name gives instant realism. Dela Cruz, Santos and Reyes are the Filipino equivalents of Smith or Jones, so they suit an office worker in Manila or a nurse working abroad. Watch the spacing: dela Cruz, de los Santos and de Guzman are written in several ways, and families are often particular about capital letters and spaces, so check how a real person spells theirs before you correct it.

    For a character with regional roots, native names are more distinctive. Tagalog names like Macapagal, Dimaano and Pangilinan suggest Luzon, Ilocano names such as Agbayani point to the north, and Cebuano names like Cabahug belong to the Visayas. Use the letter filter above to browse for these, and read the meanings as you go. A rare native name paired with a popular first name like Angelica or Mark feels true to modern Philippine life.

    Frequently asked questions

    What are the most common Filipino last names?

    Dela Cruz and Garcia usually top the counts, followed by Reyes, Ramos, Mendoza and Santos. Flores, Gonzales, Bautista and Villanueva also rank highly. The exact order varies by source and region, since some provinces have their own dominant surnames that go back to the 1849 catalogue.

    Why do most Filipinos have Spanish-sounding names?

    Mostly because of the 1849 Clavería decree, which ordered families to take fixed surnames from an official catalogue. The catalogue was full of Spanish words and saints' names, so millions of people received Spanish-sounding surnames regardless of ancestry. Only a small share of Filipinos actually descend from Spanish settlers.

    How do Filipino last names pass from parents to children?

    A child usually takes the father's surname, and the mother's maiden surname is often used as the middle name. So Maria Reyes Santos has a mother whose maiden name was Reyes and a father named Santos. Married women traditionally take the husband's surname and may keep their maiden name as a middle name.

    Are there native Filipino family names that are not Spanish?

    Yes. Many come from Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano and other languages, such as Dimaculangan, Macaraeg, Agbayani and Pangilinan. Some were in the 1849 catalogue, while others survived from older naming customs. They are less common than Santos or Reyes but are found throughout the country, especially in the provinces.

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