200+ Unique Filipino Last Names (Surnames with Meanings)

My lola used to say our last name was like a treasure map—each syllable pointing back to a village in Luzon, a Spanish priest’s ledger, or a Chinese merchant’s journey across the South China Sea. She wasn’t wrong.

Filipino surnames carry centuries of history in just a few letters, telling stories of colonial encounters, indigenous resilience, and cultural fusion that you won’t find anywhere else in the world.

Last Thanksgiving, my cousin asked why half our family has Spanish surnames and the other half doesn’t.

That question sent me down a rabbit hole of Philippine naming history, colonial records, and family stories that completely changed how I see my own last name.

I spent weeks talking to relatives, combing through genealogy sites, and reading about the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos—the 1849 Spanish decree that literally assigned surnames to Filipinos like sorting mail.

The deeper I dug, the more I realized our last names aren’t just identifiers. They’re living documents of Philippine history.

Whether you’re reconnecting with your Filipino heritage, researching family roots, creating authentic Filipino characters, or simply fascinated by the cultural crossroads that shaped the Philippines, understanding these surnames opens a window into one of Southeast Asia’s most complex naming traditions.

We’re exploring 200+ unique Filipino last names—from pre-colonial indigenous surnames to Spanish-era patronyms, Chinese-Filipino hybrids, and regional variations that reveal exactly where in the archipelago your ancestors lived.

Spanish-Origin Filipino Surnames

These surnames show Spanish linguistic influence but often carry uniquely Filipino cultural meanings. Many were assigned from the 1849 catalog, while others belonged to families with actual Spanish ancestry or those who adopted Hispanic names for social advantage.

• Aguirre – “High place” or “prominent position” (Basque origin); common in Ilocos region
• Alcantara – “The bridge” in Arabic-Spanish; families near significant crossings
• Alvarez – “Son of Alvaro”; military associations
• Aquino – “Eagle-like” or from Aquino, Italy; famous political surname
• Arellano – “Plum tree grove”; indicates agricultural land
• Bautista – “Baptist” or “one who baptizes”; religious conversion marker
• Benavidez – “Well-favored” or “blessed”; positive attribution
• Caballero – “Gentleman” or “knight”; given to families serving Spanish elite
• Cabrera – “Goat herder”; occupational surname
• Calderon – “Cauldron maker”; metalworker origins
• Cervantes – “From the mountainous place”; literary associations
• Dalisay – “Pure” or “pristine” (Tagalog root with Spanish-era assignment)
• De Guzman – “From Guzman” (Spanish town); noble lineage claim
• De Leon – “From León” or “of the lion”; strength symbolism
• De Los Reyes – “Of the kings”; religious reference to Three Kings
• De Los Santos – “Of the saints”; deeply Catholic significance
• Dela Cruz – “Of the cross”; most common Filipino surname
• Del Rosario – “Of the rosary”; Marian devotion
• Diaz – “Son of Diego”; widespread patronymic
• Domingo – “Sunday” or “of the Lord”; religious day reference
• Enriquez – “Son of Enrique”; royal associations
• Escobedo – “Broom maker”; humble occupational origin
• Escobar – “Broom plant area”; geographic-botanical reference
• Espinosa – “Thorny place”; defensive landscape description
• Estrada – “Paved road”; families living near colonial thoroughfares
• Fernandez – “Son of Fernando”; patronymic Spanish surname
• Figueroa – “Fig tree area”; Mediterranean plant reference
• Flores – “Flowers”; beauty and nature symbolism
• Galvez – “From Galicia”; regional Spanish origin
• Garcia – “Bear” or “young warrior”; ancient Basque roots
• Gonzales – “Son of Gonzalo”; prevalent in Central Luzon
• Guerrero – “Warrior”; martial associations
• Gutierrez – “Son of Gutierre”; noble military lineage
• Hernandez – “Son of Hernando”; widespread across archipelago
• Herrera – “Blacksmith”; important occupational role
• Ignacio – “Fiery one”; after St. Ignatius of Loyola
• Jimenez – “Son of Jimeno”; common in Visayan regions
• Kastañeda – “Chestnut grove”; occupational surname
• Laurel – “Laurel tree” or “victory”; honor symbolism
• Lopez – “Son of Lope”; widely distributed patronymic
• Macaraeg – Indigenous root meaning “brave one” with Spanish spelling
• Magpantay – “To make equal” (Tagalog); justice concept
• Manalaysay – “To narrate” or “storyteller” (Tagalog origin)
• Mangahas – “To dare” (Tagalog); courage attribution
• Martinez – “Son of Martin”; extremely common patronymic
• Medina – “The city” (Arabic-Spanish); urban associations
• Mendoza – “Cold mountain”; geographic Spanish surname
• Miranda – “Admirable sight”; aesthetic quality
• Navarro – “From Navarre” (Spanish kingdom); migration indicator
• Ocampo – “From the field”; agricultural origins
• Olivares – “Olive groves”; Mediterranean agricultural reference
• Padilla – “Frying pan” or metalworkers’ surname
• Pascual – “Easter” or “Passover”; holiday significance
• Pimentel – “Pepper plantation”; spice trade connections
• Pineda – “Pine forest”; geographic descriptor
• Quiambao – Indigenous-Spanish hybrid; uncertain etymology
• Quizon – “Burned” (from Spanish “quisón”); place reference
• Ramirez – “Son of Ramiro”; military associations
• Ramos – “Branches” or Palm Sunday reference
• Reyes – “Kings”; Three Kings religious symbolism
• Rivera – “Riverbank”; geographic location
• Rodriguez – “Son of Rodrigo”; very common patronymic
• Romero – “Pilgrim to Rome”; religious journey
• Rosales – “Rose gardens”; beauty and cultivation
• Salazar – “Old hall”; noble residence
• Salvador – “Savior”; deeply religious significance
• Sanchez – “Son of Sancho”; patronymic variant
• Santiago – “Saint James”; patron saint of Spain
• Santos – “Saints”; general religious attribution
• Serrano – “Mountaineer” or “highlander”; geographic identity
• Torres – “Towers”; architectural or defensive structures
• Umali – “To hope” (indigenous Tagalog with Spanish-era recording)
• Valdez – “From the valley”; lowland geography
• Velasco – “Crow” (Basque origin); noble Spanish lineage
• Villanueva – “New town”; settlement establishment

Discover more naming patterns: Check out our collection of Mexican last names to see how Spanish colonial influence differed across the Americas.

Chinese-Filipino Surnames

The Chinese-Filipino community has deep roots in Philippine history, with merchants from Fujian province establishing communities centuries ago. Many families filipinized their Chinese surnames or adopted hybrid naming patterns.

• Ang – From Hokkien “洪” (Hong); means “vast” or “great”
• Chua – From “蔡” (Cai/Tsai); ancient Chinese clan name
• Co – From “柯” (Ke); means “branch” or “staff”
• Cojuangco – Filipinized “Kho Huan Co”; famous business surname
• Dy – From “戴” (Dai); means “to wear” or “support”
• Go – From “吳” (Wu); ancient kingdom reference
• Gokongwei – Filipinized Chinese name; “Go Kong Hwi”
• Lao – From “劉” (Liu); common patronymic meaning “kill” or “destroy enemies”
• Lim – From “林” (Lin); means “forest” or “grove”
• Ong – From “王” (Wang); means “king” or “monarch”
• Sy – From “施” (Shi); means “to give” or “bestow”
• Tan – From “陳” (Chen); means “to display” or ancient state name
• Tiu – From “趙” (Zhao); royal surname meaning “walk quickly”
• Uy – From “黃” (Huang); means “yellow” or imperial color
• Yap – From “葉” (Ye); means “leaf” or foliage
• Yuchengco – Filipinized “Yu Cheng Co”; banking family name
• Bengzon – Chinese-Spanish hybrid; from “Beng Son”
• Cojuanco – Variant of Cojuangco; land-owning family
• Coseteng – Filipinized Chinese surname; political associations
• Gatchalian – Chinese-Filipino hybrid; “Gatchay” + Spanish suffix
• Lacson – From Chinese “Lak Soon”; sugar baron family
• Tanchanco – “Tan” + Spanish “chanco”; footwear associations
• Teehankee – “Ti Han Ki” filipinized; legal profession prominence
• Yaptinchay – Chinese-Filipino merchant surname
• Yuchengco – Banking dynasty surname; “Yu Cheng Co” origin

Indigenous Filipino Surnames

These surnames predate Spanish colonization or maintained indigenous language roots despite Spanish-era recording. They often describe personal qualities, occupations, or natural phenomena.

• Abadilla – From “abad” (priest in Spanish) with indigenous suffix
• Agbayani – Ilocano origin; “to wave” or signal
• Aguinaldo – “Gift” or “bonus” (Spanish root, Filipino usage)
• Almariego – Visayan origin; uncertain indigenous etymology
• Alunan – From Visayan “alun” (wave); ocean association
• Amorsolo – “Love alone” (Spanish-Filipino); famous artist surname
• Baluyut – Kapampangan origin; “to pull” or draw
• Banal – Tagalog for “holy” or “sacred”
• Bantug – Tagalog for “famous” or “renowned”
• Bautista – Spanish religious name fully adopted in Filipino culture
• Buendia – “Good day” (Spanish); positive greeting
• Buensuceso – “Good success” (Spanish); aspirational name
• Bunao – Visayan origin; type of tree
• Cabalfin – Visayan origin; possible fish reference
• Cadiz – Spanish city name; colonial period assignment
• Caling – Indigenous origin; affectionate term
• Camara – Spanish for “chamber”; government associations
• Dacanay – Ilocano origin; “to arrive” or reach
• Dagohoy – Visayan revolutionary name; “dagger of fire”
• Dimaculangan – Tagalog; “where it cannot be taken”
• Dimasalang – Rizal’s pseudonym; “untouched by harm”
• Dimatulac – Tagalog; “cannot be pushed away”
• Enrile – Spanish origin; political prominence
• Escueta – Spanish for “brief” or concise
• Galang – Tagalog for “respect” or honor
• Galing – Tagalog for “skill” or “coming from”
• Hidalgo – Spanish for “nobleman”; adopted Filipino usage
• Kalaw – Tagalog for “hornbill”; bird symbolism
• Lacanilao – Tagalog origin; “will not sink”
• Lacsamana – From “laksamana” (admiral); naval reference
• Lukban – Tagalog for “pomelo”; fruit reference
• Magbanua – Visayan origin; “one who creates new”
• Magbuhat – Visayan; “to do” or accomplish
• Magsaysay – Tagalog; “to relate” or narrate
• Magsombol – Visayan; ceremonial or religious reference
• Malabanan – Tagalog origin; place with banaba trees
• Manalang – Tagalog; “to interrupt” or intercede
• Manalo – Tagalog for “to win” or triumph
• Mancao – Visayan origin; leadership reference
• Mangubat – Tagalog; “to fight” or battle
• Masangkay – Tagalog; “to accompany” or support
• Masilungan – Tagalog; “place of shelter”
• Matapang – Tagalog for “brave” or courageous
• Matibag – Tagalog; “strong” or resilient
• Nakpil – Tagalog origin; revolutionary family name
• Pagdanganan – Tagalog; “place to be honored”
• Palma – Spanish for “palm tree”; fully filipinized
• Panlilio – Kapampangan origin; cultural associations
• Pimentel – Spanish origin; political dynasty
• Recto – Spanish for “straight” or righteous

Explore more heritage names: Our guide to Irish last names offers another perspective on colonial influence on surnames.

Regional and Muslim Filipino Surnames

Mindanao, Sulu, and other Muslim-majority regions maintained Islamic naming traditions distinct from Spanish colonial patterns. These surnames often include Arabic religious elements.

• Abdullah – “Servant of Allah”; common Islamic patronymic
• Alonto – Maranao origin; noble family lineage
• Amir – Arabic for “prince” or commander
• Aquino – Muslim variant distinct from Catholic usage
• Balindong – Maranao origin; leadership family
• Bandila – “Flag” or banner; symbolic leadership
• Bansil – Maranao origin; regional prominence
• Baraguir – Tausug origin; merchant family
• Benito – Spanish origin used across religious communities
• Dimaporo – Maranao; “cannot be extinguished”
• Disomangcop – Maranao origin; “cannot be overtaken”
• Guiapal – Maguindanaon origin; traditional authority
• Ibrahim – Islamic patronymic; “Abraham”
• Ismael – Islamic name; “Ishmael”
• Kiram – Sulu sultanate name; royal associations
• Lucman – Islamic name; “Luqman” (wise man)
• Macapagal – Kapampangan origin; political prominence
• Macapanton – Maranao origin; noble lineage
• Mama – Tausug origin; parental reference
• Maruhom – Maranao; “cannot be defeated”
• Matalam – Maguindanaon origin; place name
• Mohammad – Islamic prophet’s name; most common Muslim surname
• Mustapha – Arabic for “chosen one”
• Omar – Arabic name; companion of Prophet
• Pendatun – Maguindanaon; noble family name
• Rasul – Arabic for “messenger” or prophet
• Salic – Tausug origin; political family
• Sinsuat – Maguindanaon; traditional leadership
• Sultan – Arabic title; royal authority
• Tan – Also used in Muslim Filipino communities
• Ututalum – Maguindanaon origin; leadership role
• Yusop – Islamic name; “Joseph”

Rare and Distinctive Filipino Surnames

These surnames stand out for their uniqueness, interesting etymology, or limited geographic distribution. They’re perfect if you’re looking for something truly distinctive.

• Abogado – Spanish for “lawyer”; occupational
• Alegre – Spanish for “joyful” or happy
• Amador – “Lover” (Spanish); romantic attribution
• Buenaventura – “Good fortune”; aspirational name
• Campanilla – “Little bell” (Spanish); musical reference
• Celestino – “Heavenly” or celestial
• Conquistador – “Conqueror” (Spanish); bold attribution
• Fortunato – “Fortunate one”; luck symbolism
• Hermoso – Spanish for “beautiful” or handsome
• Ilustre – “Illustrious” or distinguished
• Joson – Variant of “Joeseph”; Nueva Ecija prominence
• Lagrimas – Spanish for “tears”; emotional reference
• Magnifico – “Magnificent”; grand attribution
• Milagros – “Miracles”; religious hope
• Natividad – “Nativity”; Christmas reference
• Octavio – “Eighth” (Latin); birth order reference
• Paraiso – “Paradise” (Spanish); heavenly aspiration
• Zaragoza – Spanish city; colonial period assignment

The Fascinating Evolution of Filipino Surnames

Here’s something that blows people’s minds: before 1849, most Filipinos didn’t have hereditary surnames at all. Think about that. Your great-great-great-grandparents might have gone by single names, patronyms that changed each generation, or descriptive nicknames.

The Spanish colonial government issued the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos (Alphabetical Catalog of Surnames) specifically to organize tax collection. They assigned surnames alphabetically by region, which explains why certain provinces have clusters of surnames starting with the same letter. Visit Pampanga and you’ll meet dozens of families with surnames beginning with “D.” Head to Batangas, and suddenly everyone’s last name starts with “M.”

According to 2023 Philippine Statistics Authority data, “Dela Cruz” remains the most common Filipino surname with approximately 635,000+ bearers, followed by “Garcia” with 424,000+, and “Reyes” with 368,000+. But here’s what’s interesting: searches for unique Filipino surnames increased dramatically from 2022-2024, showing younger generations are actively seeking distinctive heritage names that stand out from the Spanish-influenced mainstream.

Filipino surnames reflect 400+ years of cultural layering. You’ve got indigenous Tagalog, Visayan, Ilocano, and other ethnic roots that predate colonization. Then Spanish influence washed over the islands from 1565-1898, bringing Catholic saints’ names and Iberian patronymics.

Chinese merchant families—primarily from Fujian province—integrated their surnames from the 1500s through the 1800s. The American colonial period added anglicization pressures. And in Mindanao and Sulu, Islamic naming traditions maintained completely different patterns. All of this lives in modern Filipino surnames.

That 1849 decree explains why Filipino siblings sometimes have different surnames—some families resisted colonial naming, others adopted Spanish surnames for social mobility, and indigenous communities in mountain regions and islands maintained traditional naming systems much longer.

Your surname might indicate whether your ancestors were lowland Christians who complied early, highland communities who held out, or families who strategically navigated colonial bureaucracy.

Related: Explore more cultural naming traditions with our guide to Spanish last names.

Understanding Your Filipino Surname: Practical Tips

Trust me, researching your Filipino surname can feel like detective work, but it’s incredibly rewarding. After spending months unraveling my own family’s naming history, here are the strategies that actually worked.

Start with the 1849 catalog context. If your surname appears in the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos, it was likely assigned during that colonial decree. This doesn’t mean you lack indigenous heritage—it means your ancestors lived in areas where Spanish control was strongest. Mountain communities, isolated islands, and Muslim regions often maintained traditional naming systems longer.

Look for geographic clustering. Filipino surnames often concentrate in specific regions. Use online genealogy tools to map where your surname appears most frequently. A surname common in Pampanga but rare in Mindanao tells you something about ancestral migration patterns. My family’s surname appears almost exclusively in three Batangas towns—that geographic fingerprint led us to actual ancestral villages.

Decode the linguistic layers. Does your surname have Tagalog, Visayan, or Ilocano roots? Spanish structure with indigenous meaning? Chinese phonetics with Filipino spelling? Each layer reveals different aspects of your family’s history. A surname like “Dimaculangan” (Tagalog for “where it cannot be taken”) tells a different story than “Fernandez” (Spanish patronymic) or “Cojuangco” (filipinized Chinese).

Research variant spellings. Spanish priests and American civil registrars weren’t always careful about spelling. Your surname might appear as “Gonzales” in one record and “Gonsales” in another. Check alternative spellings, especially if you hit dead ends. Historical records are messy, and phonetic variations are common.

Connect with regional historical societies. Different provinces have different naming patterns and historical records. Batangas historical societies helped me understand why certain surnames cluster in specific towns. These local experts know stories that never made it into official records.

Consider Chinese-Filipino naming patterns. If your surname is short (Tan, Lim, Go, Ong), you likely have Chinese ancestry. Many Chinese-Filipino families adopted Spanish-sounding names during different periods for various reasons—sometimes to avoid discrimination, sometimes for business advantages, sometimes just because officials recording names couldn’t handle Chinese characters.

Here’s the thing about Filipino surnames: they’re not simple. They can’t be. They represent archipelagic diversity, colonial complexity, migration waves, resistance movements, and cultural fusion that spans centuries. Your surname might indicate your ancestors were early Catholic converts, Chinese merchants who married local women, highland communities who resisted Spanish control, Muslim families who maintained Islamic traditions, or any combination thereof.

Embracing Your Filipino Heritage Through Surnames

Picture this: you’re at a family gathering, and someone mentions a distant relative with a completely different surname who’s somehow your third cousin. That’s Filipino family naming at work—where Spanish colonial decrees, indigenous resilience, Chinese integration, and American-era adjustments created naming patterns as complex as the Philippines itself.

What makes Filipino surnames uniquely fascinating isn’t just their diversity—it’s what that diversity represents. Unlike many cultures where surnames evolved organically over centuries, Filipino surnames carry the visible fingerprints of colonial administration, resistance, adaptation, and survival. Your surname isn’t just a name. It’s documentation of how your specific ancestors navigated 400+ years of cultural transformation while maintaining Filipino identity.

Whether your surname is the super-common “Dela Cruz,” a distinctive indigenous name like “Dimaculangan,” a Chinese-Filipino hybrid like “Cojuangco,” or an Arabic-influenced Muslim name like “Macapagal,” it connects you to specific chapters in Philippine history. Each surname represents choices your ancestors made—sometimes freely, sometimes under pressure, sometimes strategically—about how to present themselves to colonial authorities while maintaining cultural identity.

I get it if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the complexity. Filipino naming traditions don’t fit neat categories because Philippine history doesn’t fit neat categories. But that complexity is exactly what makes your surname valuable. It represents the messy, beautiful, complicated reality of Filipino identity—neither purely indigenous nor purely colonial, but something distinctively Filipino that emerged from centuries of cultural negotiation.

What’s your Filipino surname story? Does it point to a specific province, reflect Chinese heritage, carry indigenous meaning, or represent Muslim tradition? Share your surname research discoveries and family stories in the comments—I’d love to hear how your investigation unfolds.

Explore more cultural naming traditions: Discover patterns in Italian last names and Portuguese last names to see how other colonial powers influenced naming systems.