Puerto Rico is a melting pot of cultures, and it’s last names are no exception. In this article, we will explore 14 of the hottest Puerto Rican last names that are predicted to be popular in 2022!
The last names of the 2020’s will mostly consist of: Rodriguez, Gonzales, Lopez and Perez. These are some of the most well-known Puerto Rican last names that were seen often in 2016 census data for those born between 1990 and 1991. It is predicted that these four particular last names will be among the top five hottest Puerto Rican last names by 2022!
Puerto Rico has a rich tradition with its people’s surnames they reflect our diverse heritage as an island nation made up not only of descendants from Spain but also Taino Indigenous groups, African slaves and much more. Our list includes many popular Spanish surnames such as Ramos (which means ‘son/child loved by God’) and Cruz (‘cross’), along with uniquely Puerto Rican last names such as Diaz (which means ‘son of Diego’).
Quesada: A popular last name in Puerto Rico, which means a basket filled with things.
Cayey: This surname originated from the town of Cayey and can be found in many parts of the country due to migration patterns.
Reyes: Meaning “kings” or “queens,” this is one of the most popular surnames on Puerto Rican soil.
Martinez: Martinez has origins dating back as far as 1254 AD when it was used by nobles who were under orders to take care of royal properties. It may also have been given out at birth names for babies born on feast days like Saint Martin de Tours Day. The same could also apply to any other saint day.
Cabrera: The first Cabrera to settle in Puerto Rico was Juan de Cabrera, who immigrated from Spain with Christopher Columbus on his second voyage in 1493 AD. Cabreras are also found throughout Latin America and the United States as well as Europe. This is a very common last name among people of Spanish descent due to some distant ancestor coming over from Spain where it’s still fairly popular today.
Gonzalez: Gonzalez means “son of Gonzalo,” which comes from an old Castilian-Spanish word for growl or bellow that refers back to the ancient Roman god Janus, a deity known for opening doors when necessary so all may pass through them safely; this could be symbolic of the role of Gonzalez as a guardian.
Rodriguez: The first Rodriguez in Puerto Rico was Antonio Rodríguez, who landed on this island in 1512 AD and also founded one of its largest towns, San German (now Guayama). It is believed that there were 12 families with the last name back then; nowadays it’s estimated to be around 400 thousand people over all Latin America and Europe. This last name has its origins in Spain where records show that some members had Coat-of-Arms before they emigrated here about 45 years ago from Portugal during their time under Spanish rule. Other variations include Rodrigues or Rodriquez.
The next sentence starts halfway down line three: “In fact, this is one of the few names that has not changed its spelling over centuries.”