350+ Filipino Last Names or Surnames (With Origins & Meanings)

Looking for Filipino last names that tell amazing stories? You won’t believe how interesting these family names can be! I’ve always been fascinated by how a simple last name can tell you so much about where someone’s family came from and what their ancestors might have done.

You know how we all have those family stories passed down through generations? Well, Filipino last names are kind of like that – each one has its own tale to tell. Some show Spanish connections (thanks to all those years of Spanish rule), others have Chinese roots (from centuries of trade), and many come straight from ancient Filipino traditions.

Think about it like this – it’s like having a tiny family history book right in your name! When you meet someone with a last name like “Dela Cruz” (which means “of the cross”), you’re basically meeting someone whose family story goes way back to when Catholicism first came to the Philippines. Pretty cool, right?

And here’s something neat – these names aren’t just random. Each one means something special. Sometimes they tell you what job someone’s great-great-grandparents did, or which part of the Philippines they came from. It’s like having a family treasure that gets passed down with every generation.

It’s funny – I was talking to a friend the other day about how his last name “Santos” (meaning “saints”) is super common in the Philippines, but he had no idea why until we looked it up. That’s what makes these names so fun to learn about – there’s always an interesting story behind them!

Filipino Last Names and Their Meanings

Let’s kick things off with some classic Filipino last names! Just like beautiful group names, these names each have their own special charm:

• De la Cruz (Spanish) – “of the cross”
• Santos (Spanish) – “saints”
• Reyes (Spanish) – “kings”
• Garcia (Spanish) – “bear”
• Torres (Spanish) – “towers”
• Lim (Chinese) – “forest”
• Tan (Chinese) – “red”
• Cruz (Spanish) – “cross”
• Ramos (Spanish) – “branches”
• Mendoza (Spanish) – “cold mountain”
• Lopez (Spanish) – “son of Lope”
• Flores (Spanish) – “flowers”
• Aquino (Spanish) – “of the house of Aquinas”
• Diaz (Spanish) – “son of Diego”
• Rivera (Spanish) – “riverbank”
• Gonzales (Spanish) – “son of Gonzalo”
• Aguilar (Spanish) – “eagle”
• Castillo (Spanish) – “castle”
• Miranda (Spanish) – “admirable”
• Valencia (Spanish) – “valor”

Philippines Last Names List

Hey, want to see more amazing Filipino surnames? These ones remind me of unique group names list:

• Macapagal – “resilient”
• Bautista – “baptist”
• Pascual – “born at Easter”
• Fernandez – “son of Fernando”
• Romualdez – “famed ruler”
• Mercado – “market”
• Villegas – “small village”
• Navarro – “from Navarre”
• Santiago – “Saint James”
• Rodriguez – “son of Rodrigo”
• Ramirez – “son of Ramiro”
• Perez – “son of Pedro”
• Martinez – “son of Martin”
• Gomez – “son of Gome”
• Sanchez – “son of Sancho”
• Alvarez – “son of Alvaro”
• Morales – “mulberry trees”
• Romero – “pilgrim”
• Herrera – “blacksmith”
• Velasco – “crow”

Filipino Surnames

Let’s dive into more amazing Filipino surnames! You know what’s cool about these? Each one has its own special story, kind of like matching couple names:

• Del Rosario – “of the rosary”
• Ang (Chinese) – “peaceful”
• Chua (Chinese) – “snake”
• Go (Chinese) – “enlightened”
• Yap (Chinese) – “duck”
• Sy (Chinese) – “merchant”
• Co (Chinese) – “ancient”
• Uy (Chinese) – “righteous”
• De Guzman – “the good man”
• De Leon – “of the lion”
• De Vera – “of truth”
• Del Mundo – “of the world”
• De Jesus – “of Jesus”
• De Castro – “of the fortress”
• De los Santos – “of the saints”
• De los Reyes – “of the kings”
• De la Peña – “of the rock”
• De la Rosa – “of the rose”
• De la Torre – “of the tower”
• De la Fuente – “of the fountain”

Philippines Names and Surnames

These names are super interesting – they’re like family group names that tell amazing stories:

• Villanueva – “new house”
• Domingo – “born on Sunday”
• Salvador – “savior”
• Marquez – “son of Marco”
• Jimenez – “son of Simon”
• Estrada – “street”
• Aguilar – “eagle handler”
• Medina – “city”
• Salazar – “old hall”
• Cortez – “courteous”
• Guerrero – “warrior”
• Montenegro – “black mountain”
• Evangelista – “evangelist”
• Villanueva – “new village”
• Cervantes – “servant”
• Espiritu – “spirit”
• Gutierrez – “son of Walter”
• Almonte – “the mountain”
• Buenaventura – “good fortune”
• Ilustre – “illustrious”

Filipino Names and Surnames

Check these out – they’re like cultural team club names but for families:

• Magsaysay – “to discuss”
• Laurel – “laurel tree”
• Quezon – “long”
• Roxas – “red”
• Quirino – “loving”
• Osmena – “son of Osmund”
• Recto – “right”
• Mabini – “bamboo grove”
• Aguinaldo – “Christmas bonus”
• Bonifacio – “good fate”
• Luna – “moon”
• Rizal – “rice field”
• Lacson – “son of Lac”
• Tolentino – “from Toledo”
• Soriano – “from Soria”
• Padilla – “small pan”
• Zaragoza – “from Zaragoza”
• Enriquez – “son of Henry”
• Malacañang – “fisherman’s home”
• Cojuangco – “old house”

Philippines Last Names

You know what’s amazing about these Filipino last names? Each one’s got its own unique story, like how some of my Latin last names friends have such rich histories:

• Abella – “beekeeper”
• Alcantara – “bridge”
• Alvarado – “guardian”
• Antonio – “priceless one”
• Basa – “reader”
• Caballero – “gentleman”
• Dizon – “son of Dixon”
• Evangelista – “gospel writer”
• Fajardo – “abundant”
• Galang – “respect”
• Imperial – “royal”
• Javier – “new house”
• Lazaro – “God helps”
• Madrigal – “morning song”
• Natividad – “nativity”
• Ocampo – “from the field”
• Pangilinan – “overseer”
• Quiambao – “first”
• Rosario – “rosary”
• Tuazon – “eldest”

Family Names in the Philippines

These names are like precious family treasures! Think of them like those family group names that bring people together:

• Abad – “eternal”
• Arcega – “maple tree”
• Bernardo – “brave as a bear”
• Cañete – “from reed bed”
• Dalisay – “pure”
• Enrile – “honorable ruler”
• Gallardo – “gallant”
• Hidalgo – “nobleman”
• Ignacio – “fiery”
• Jaime – “supplanter”
• Legaspi – “from the steep”
• Manalo – “winner”
• Nolasco – “from Nola”
• Ordonez – “orderly”
• Pacheco – “peaceful”
• Quinto – “fifth born”
• Recio – “strong”
• Saavedra – “savior”
• Trinidad – “trinity”
• Urbina – “city dweller”

Common Filipino Last Names

Here are some names you’ll hear all the time in the Philippines – they’re kind of like popular medieval last names but with a Filipino twist:

• Malvar – “bad news”
• Marcos – “warlike”
• Mercado – “market”
• Montemayor – “greater mountain”
• Moreno – “brown”
• Navarro – “from Navarre”
• Ortega – “nettle field”
• Paredes – “walls”
• Ponce – “bridge”
• Ramos – “branches”
• Robles – “oaks”
• Ruiz – “son of Ruy”
• Santos – “saints”
• Silva – “forest”
• Sotto – “under”
• Torres – “towers”
• Valdez – “from the valley”
• Vargas – “steep slope”
• Velasquez – “son of Velasco”
• Zamora – “olive tree”

Cool Filipino Surnames

Hey, let me share some super cool Filipino last names! These are like the rockstars of surnames – each one’s got such a great ring to it:

• Alabanza – “praise”
• Belmonte – “beautiful mountain”
• Celestial – “heavenly”
• Delos Angeles – “of the angels”
• Estrella – “star”
• Galvez – “son of Galván”
• Hermoso/a – “beautiful”
• Isabelo – “devoted to God”
• Jalandro – “traveler”
• Kimpo – “golden treasure”
• Lualhati – “glory”
• Magbanua – “warrior”
• Noble – “noble one”
• Oro – “gold”
• Paraiso – “paradise”
• Querubin – “cherub”
• Resplandor – “radiance”
• Salvacion – “salvation”
• Tala – “star”
• Victoria – “victory”

Filipino Family Names

You know what’s really neat about these family names? Each one’s got a story that goes way back! Like those rich Filipino surnames, they carry so much history:

• Avelino – “desired”
• Bayani – “hero”
• Carmona – “garden”
• Datu – “chief”
• Escueta – “shield”
• Fortuna – “fortune”
• Guevarra – “giver”
• Honorato – “honored”
• Ines – “pure”
• Jovellanos – “joyful”
• Kristanto – “follower of Christ”
• Lakandula – “noble chief”
• Macaraeg – “abundant”
• Nepomuceno – “from Nepomuk”
• Olivares – “olive groves”
• Paragas – “precious stone”
• Quijano – “victorious”
• Rajah – “king”
• Soliman – “peaceful”
• Tamayo – “twin”

Rich Filipino Last Names

These names often pop up in history books and business directories – they’re like the elegant rare Filipino surnames of the Philippines:

• Araneta
• Ayala
• Cojuangco
• Lopez-Jaena
• Madrigal
• Ortigas
• Palanca
• Puyat
• Rufino
• Soriano
• Tantoco
• Tuason
• Yuchengco
• Zobel
• Zóbel de Ayala
• Elizalde
• Fernandez-Concepcion
• Laurel-Castañeda
• Prieto-Romualdez
• Roxas-Chua

Rarest Filipino Last Names

You know what’s super interesting? Some Filipino last names are like hidden gems – you rarely hear them! Here’s a peek at some of these unique treasures:

• Ambalada – from ancient Filipino nobility
• Bakunawa – named after a mythical sea creature
• Dayang – means “princess” in old Filipino
• Gatmaitan – ancient warrior class name
• Hungduan – from mountain tribes
• Inumaran – pre-colonial name
• Kabayao – means “horse rider”
• Lakambini – means “noblewoman”
• Mangubat – means “warrior”
• Nagrampa – indigenous origin
• Pagulayan – royal lineage name
• Rajamuda – means “young prince”
• Salakot – named after traditional hat
• Tampinco – rare Chinese-Filipino blend
• Ulilang – means “orphaned”
• Villadolid – rare Spanish variation
• Wangkay – ancient Chinese origin
• Yaranon – indigenous mountain name
• Zialcita – unique Spanish-Filipino mix
• Kasilag – means “alertness”

Rare Filipino Last Names

These names are like finding a four-leaf clover – pretty special! Just like those unique group names, they really stand out:

• Alingalan
• Bangayan
• Caliso
• Dagohoy
• Esguerra
• Gatus
• Hamada
• Isorena
• Jaranilla
• Kangleon
• Lumayag
• Magdamo
• Novero
• Oandasan
• Pagdanganan
• Quindipan
• Ravalo
• Sugatan
• Tamondong
• Unchuan

Filipino American Last Names

Hey, check these out – they’re what you might spot in both Manila and Manhattan! Like a cool cultural mashup:

• Abad Santos
• Bautista-Smith
• Cruz-Johnson
• De la Cruz-Williams
• Estrada-Brown
• Flores-Miller
• Garcia-Anderson
• Hernandez-Davis
• Ignacio-Wilson
• Jimenez-Taylor
• Lopez-Martin
• Mendoza-Clark
• Navarro-White
• Ortiz-Thompson
• Perez-Moore
• Quintero-Lee
• Reyes-Martinez
• Santos-Robinson
• Torres-Wright
• Villanueva-Scott

Family Names in Philippines

Let’s chat about these amazing family names! They’re like little pieces of history that got passed down through generations:

• Alcazar – cool name meaning “fortress”
• Batongbakal – it literally means “iron stone”
• Cordero – means “lamb,” sweet right?
• Dacanay – ancient indigenous name
• Enriquez – royal Spanish roots
• Fuentebella – means “beautiful fountain”
• Guinto – means “gold” in Tagalog
• Halili – from native Filipino roots
• Ilagan – means “east”
• Jalandoni – Visayan origin
• Katigbak – pure Filipino name
• Ledesma – old Spanish heritage
• Macarambon – Mindanao origin
• Narciso – means “daffodil”
• Orbos – rare Spanish name
• Pimentel – means “spice seller”
• Quiogue – Chinese-Filipino blend
• Regalado – means “gifted”
• Singson – Chinese heritage
• Tañada – indigenous roots

Most Common Surnames Philippines

These are the names you’ll hear everywhere in the Philippines – they’re super popular, like your favorite coffee shop that’s on every corner:

• Santos
• Reyes
• Cruz
• Garcia
• Fernandez
• Lopez
• Martinez
• Rodriguez
• Perez
• Gonzales
• Torres
• Rivera
• Ramos
• Flores
• Morales
• Castro
• Gomez
• Mendoza
• Castillo
• Del Rosario

Filipino Last Names Spanish

Hey, did you know lots of Filipino names have Spanish roots? Check these out – they’re like a bridge between two amazing cultures:

• Alcantara – “the bridge”
• Borromeo – super elegant, right?
• Cervantes – like the famous author!
• Delgado – means “thin”
• Espinosa – means “thorny”
• Fajardo – noble origins
• Gallardo – means “gallant”
• Herrera – means “blacksmith”
• Ibañez – “son of Ivan”
• Jimenez – classic Spanish
• Lacuesta – “the slope”
• Montoya – “mountain”
• Nuñez – means “son of Nuño”
• Ocampo – “the field”
• Padilla – cute, means “small pan”
• Quinones – old Spanish name
• Rosales – means “rosebushes”
• Suarez – “son of Suero”
• Toledo – city name
• Velasquez – famous artist name

Filipino Last Names That Start With D

Hey! Let’s check out these awesome Filipino last names that kick off with D. Each one’s got such an interesting story:

• De Guzman – means “the good man”
• De Leon – it’s like having a lion in your name!
• De La Cruz – super common, means “of the cross”
• Delos Santos – “of the saints”
• Diaz – classic name, means “son of Diego”
• Domingo – born on Sunday, cool right?
• Delos Reyes – “of the kings”
• Del Rosario – all about the rosary
• David – like the biblical hero
• Delos Angeles – means “of the angels”
• Dela Rosa – think “of the rose”
• Dizon – has such a nice ring to it
• Dela Peña – “from the rock”
• Delos Santos – sounds so noble!
• Dulay – unique indigenous name
• Dela Torre – means “of the tower”
• Datu – means “chief”
• Dacanay – ancient Filipino roots
• Dorado – means “golden”
• Dimalanta – pure Filipino name

Filipino Last Names That Start With H

Now let’s talk about the H-crew! These names are just as interesting:

• Hernandez – super popular
• Herrera – means “blacksmith”
• Hidalgo – means “nobleman”
• Huang – Chinese-Filipino blend
• Henson – got some Western vibes
• Hilario – means “cheerful”
• Hortaleza – “about gardens”
• Herradura – means “horseshoe”
• Hong – Chinese origin
• Hostallero – “innkeeper”
• Humarang – indigenous name
• Hibaya – rare Filipino name
• Hagad – unique local name
• Hubilla – Spanish influence
• Halili – native Filipino
• Hermoso – means “handsome”
• Holgado – “comfortable”
• Heredia – Spanish origin
• Habaradas – indigenous
• Himaya – means “glory”

Unique Filipino Last Names

These names? They’re like finding rare gems – you don’t hear them every day:

• Alunan – sounds so regal
• Bathala – means “deity”
• Calindas – super unique
• Dimasupil – warrior name
• Empaynado – rare Spanish mix
• Fulgencio – sounds fancy!
• Garchitorena – what a mouthful
• Halagueña – means “flattering”
• Iñigo – old Spanish name
• Jamandre – unique blend
• Kalayaan – means “freedom”
• Lacandola – royal lineage
• Mayumi – means “gentle”
• Nakpil – historical name
• Oligario – rare Spanish
• Paraluman – means “muse”
• Quintos – means “fifth”
• Regalado – “gifted”
• Salonga – prominent name
• Tagumpay – means “victory”

Filipino Last Names for Girl

Hey! Let’s talk about some beautiful Filipino last names that sound especially lovely for girls. You know how some names just have that special ring to them? These definitely do:

• Dela Rosa – isn’t “of the rose” just perfect?
• Estrella – means “star,” how pretty is that?
• Flores – literally means “flowers”
• Luna – like the moon, so dreamy!
• Mariposa – means “butterfly”
• Bella – means “beautiful”
• Celeste – means “heavenly”
• Dalisay – means “pure”
• Reyna – means “queen”
• Isabela – royal vibes!
• Corazon – means “heart”
• Divina – means “divine”
• Perla – means “pearl”
• Magnolia – like the flower
• Soledad – means “solitude”
• Angeles – means “angels”
• Rosario – means “rosary”
• Aurora – like the dawn
• Paloma – means “dove”
• Belinda – means “beautiful”

Rich Filipino Surnames

You know those names that just sound fancy? These are like the Rolls-Royce of Filipino surnames:

• Ayala – old money vibes
• Zobel – super prestigious
• Lopez – big business family
• Sy – major retail dynasty
• Tan – business royalty
• Gokongwei – corporate giants
• Aboitiz – power family
• Cojuangco – political dynasty
• Osmena – political elite
• Roxas – old wealth
• Yuchengco – banking family
• Concepcion – industry leaders
• Ortigas – real estate moguls
• Puyat – business legends
• Madrigal – old wealth
• Araneta – major landowners
• Aguirre – historic wealth
• Escaler – old money
• Soriano – industry pioneers
• Elizalde – prestigious family

Elegant Rare Filipino Surnames

These names are like finding a unicorn – they’re both rare and totally gorgeous:

• Almendras – “almond trees”
• Buenaflor – “good flower”
• Carmona – so sophisticated!
• Delgado – sounds so refined
• Esplana – rare beauty
• Fuentebella – “beautiful fountain”
• Glorioso – “glorious”
• Hermosura – means “beauty”
• Ilustre – means “illustrious”
• Jalandoni – old-world charm
• Katigbak – unique elegance
• Ledesma – such class
• Macaraig – noble sound
• Nobleza – means “nobility”
• Ortigas – prestigious
• Paredes – refined
• Quiambao – rare gem
• Resplandor – “radiant”
• Salcedo – distinguished
• Villareal – “royal villa”

Filipino Last Names Male

Alright, let’s wrap this up with some strong, masculine-sounding Filipino last names! You know the kind – they just have that powerful ring to them:

• Agbayani – means “brave one”
• Batongbakal – literally “iron stone”
• Dagohoy – famous warrior name
• Guerrero – means “warrior”
• Lakandula – “noble chief”
• Magiting – means “brave”
• Matapang – means “brave”
• Montero – “hunter”
• Pagulayan – “like royalty”
• Rajah – means “king”
• Salamanca – strong Spanish name
• Tagalog – ethnic pride
• Tizon – means “firebrand”
• Ulama – means “wise man”
• Valiente – means “valiant”
• Villafuerte – “strong town”
• Waray – warrior tribe
• Ximenes – powerful sound
• Yalung – ancient warrior
• Zamora – means “olive tree”

The Spanish Connection

You know how things changed when the Spanish arrived in the Philippines? Well, they really shook up the way Filipinos named themselves!

Before the Spanish came along, most Filipinos used single names, sometimes with descriptions of their traits or where they lived.

But everything changed in 1849 when Governor General Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa decided things needed a major overhaul.

Want to know something interesting? Check out these Spanish team names – you’ll notice some similarities with many Filipino surnames today!

The Spanish brought along what they called the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos – fancy name, right? It was basically a big book of surnames that Filipino families could choose from.

This is why you’ll find so many Filipino families with beautiful Spanish-sounding names like dela Cruz, Santos, and Reyes.

A Mix of Cultures

Here’s what makes Filipino last names super special – they’re like a cultural buffet! You’ve got:

• Spanish-inspired surnames (the most common ones)
• Chinese family names (especially in business families)
• Indigenous Filipino names (keeping those roots strong!)
• Arabic-influenced names (particularly in Muslim regions)

Speaking of cultural mixes, it reminds me of how Japanese group team names show similar cultural blending.

Spanish-Origin Surnames

These names often reflect:

• Religious connections (dela Cruz = of the Cross)
• Physical features (Moreno = brown-skinned)
• Occupations (Herrero = blacksmith)

Just like Latin words for usernames, these names often carry deep historical meaning.

Chinese-Origin Surnames

Chinese surnames in the Philippines have an interesting twist. Many were modified to sound more Filipino or Spanish. For example:

• Lim (林)
• Tan (陳)
• Sy (施)

These names often show up in both their original and modified forms, kind of like how Korean usernames adapt to different contexts.

Regional Names

You know what’s really cool about Filipino indigenous last names? They tell amazing stories about the land and its people. Like a window into the past, these names carry deep meanings connected to nature, traits, and ancient traditions.

Let’s look at some beautiful examples:

• Agbayani – means “brave one” or “hero”
• Baluyot – derived from a type of basket used for fishing
• Dimaano – means “untouchable” or “unreachable”

It’s a bit like looking at nature last names, but with a uniquely Filipino twist!

Arabic Influence

Now, here’s something interesting – especially if you’re from Mindanao! Muslim Filipino families often have surnames that show their Islamic heritage. These names are super meaningful and often have beautiful meanings in Arabic:

• Usman – means “one who leads”
• Ali – means “noble” or “elevated”
• Hassan – means “good” or “handsome”

Top Filipino Last Names

Ready for the greatest hits of Filipino surnames? Here’s a look at some super common ones you’ll definitely run into:

Surname	Origin	Meaning
Santos	Spanish	“Saints”
Cruz	Spanish	“Cross”
Reyes	Spanish	“Kings”
Lim	Chinese	“Forest”
Macapagal	Indigenous	“Resilient”

These names are kind of like family group names – they bring people together and create a sense of belonging!

Cultural Significance

Let me tell you something amazing about Filipino surnames – they’re not just names, they’re like family treasures! When someone introduces themselves with their last name, they’re sharing:

• Their family’s history
• Where their ancestors might have come from
• Sometimes even what their ancestors did for a living

Think of it like those cultural team club names – each one carries special meaning and pride.

Modern Day Significance

In today’s Philippines, your surname can still tell people a lot about you:

• Which region your family’s from
• Your possible ethnic background
• Sometimes even your family’s social history

Choosing a Filipino Last Name

Looking to choose a Filipino last name? Maybe for your character in a story or because you’re connecting with your roots? Here are some friendly tips:

1. Think about your family history
2. Consider the meaning behind the name
3. Look at regional connections
4. Check if it’s easy to pronounce
5. Make sure it feels right to you

It’s kind of like choosing from unique group names list – you want something that really speaks to you!

Wrapping It Up

Filipino last names are like little time capsules carrying centuries of history. From Spanish colonization to Chinese trade, from indigenous traditions to Islamic influence – each name tells a story that’s part of the bigger Filipino tale.

Whether your last name is Santos, Lim, Agbayani, or something totally different, it’s part of what makes Filipino culture so amazingly rich and diverse. And hey, isn’t that what makes it all so special?

Pro Tip: If you’re digging into your family history, start by asking your older relatives about your surname. They often have the best stories about where your family name came from!

Want to explore more about names and their meanings? Check out this article about beautiful group names. You might find some inspiration there!

Remember, every name has a story – what’s yours? 😊