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Ecuadorian Last Names

These Ecuadorian last names mix Spanish family names like Zambrano, Cedeño and Vera with Kichwa names from the Andes such as Quishpe, Guamán and Chicaiza. Each is listed A to Z with its meaning and background.

220 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

  • Abdo

    Arabic for servant, short for servant of God

    Arabic

  • Adum

    Lebanese-Ecuadorian surname; meaning uncertain

    Arabic

  • Aguilar

    Place of eagles

    Spanish

  • Aguirre

    Basque for open or prominent place

    Spanish

  • Albán

    From Latin Albanus; white

    Spanish

  • Alcívar

    Basque place-name surname; meaning uncertain

    Spanish

  • Alfaro

    From Alfaro in La Rioja; possibly Arabic for lighthouse or watchtower

    Spanish

  • Almeida

    Portuguese place name from Arabic for table or plateau

    Portuguese

  • Alomoto

    Kichwa surname of Pichincha; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Alvarado

    From a place name in Spain

    Spanish

  • Álvarez

    Son of Álvaro, a given name of Germanic origin

    Spanish

  • Andrade

    From Andrade, a place in Galicia

    Spanish

  • Angulo

    Corner; from Angulo in Burgos

    Spanish

  • Anrango

    Kichwa surname of Imbabura; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Arboleda

    Grove of trees

    Spanish

  • Arévalo

    From Arévalo, a town in Ávila

    Spanish

  • Arias

    From an old Iberian given name

    Spanish

  • Arroyo

    Stream or brook

    Spanish

  • Ayala

    Basque for slope or pasture

    Spanish

B

  • Barrera

    Barrier or clay pit

    Spanish

  • Benítez

    Son of Benito; blessed

    Spanish

  • Bermeo

    From Bermeo, a Basque fishing town

    Spanish

  • Bermúdez

    Son of Bermudo, an old Germanic name

    Spanish

  • Borja

    From Borja, a town in Aragón

    Spanish

  • Bravo

    Brave or fierce

    Spanish

  • Bucaram

    Lebanese-Ecuadorian; possibly Arabic Abu Karam, father of generosity

    Arabic

  • Burbano

    Possibly from a Spanish place name; meaning uncertain

    Spanish

  • Bustamante

    From a Cantabrian place name

    Spanish

C

  • Cabrera

    Place of goats

    Spanish

  • Cachiguango

    Kichwa surname of Otavalo; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Caicedo

    Possibly from a Basque place in Álava

    Spanish

  • Caisaguano

    Kichwa surname of Cotopaxi; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Caiza

    Highland Kichwa surname; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Calle

    Street; one who lived on a street

    Spanish

  • Carabalí

    From Calabar, a West African slave port

    African

  • Cárdenas

    Purplish; from a place name in La Rioja

    Spanish

  • Carrera

    Road or path

    Spanish

  • Carrillo

    Cheek; or small cart

    Spanish

  • Carrión

    From Carrión de los Condes in Palencia

    Spanish

  • Carvajal

    Oak grove; from a place name

    Spanish

  • Castillo

    Castle; one who lived near a castle

    Spanish

  • Castro

    Hillfort; from Latin castrum

    Spanish

  • Cedeño

    Possibly from a Spanish place name; common on the coast

    Spanish

  • Cevallos

    From Ceballos, a place in Cantabria; meaning uncertain

    Spanish

  • Chamorro

    Shaved head; old Spanish nickname

    Spanish

  • Chango

    Highland surname, possibly Kichwa in origin

    Kichwa

  • Chasiluisa

    Kichwa surname of Cotopaxi; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Chávez

    Keys; possibly from the Portuguese town of Chaves

    Spanish

  • Chicaiza

    Highland Kichwa surname; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Chiguano

    Kichwa surname of the central highlands; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Chiluisa

    Kichwa surname of Cotopaxi; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Chiriboga

    Basque place-name surname; meaning uncertain

    Spanish

  • Chuquimarca

    Possibly from Kichwa chuqi, gold, and marka, town

    Kichwa

  • Cisneros

    From Cisneros in Palencia; possibly swan keeper

    Spanish

  • Coello

    Galician-Portuguese for rabbit

    Spanish

  • Collaguazo

    Kichwa surname of Pichincha; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Cordero

    Lamb; a nickname for a gentle person

    Spanish

  • Cortez

    Courteous; or from cortes, royal courts

    Spanish

  • Crespo

    Curly-haired; an old nickname

    Spanish

  • Cueva

    Cave; one who lived near a cave

    Spanish

  • Cuji

    Kichwa surname of the central highlands; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

D

  • Dager

    Lebanese-Ecuadorian surname; meaning uncertain

    Arabic

  • Dahik

    Lebanese-Ecuadorian; possibly from Arabic for laughing

    Arabic

  • Dassum

    Lebanese-Ecuadorian surname; meaning uncertain

    Arabic

  • Dávila

    From the city of Ávila

    Spanish

  • Delgado

    Thin or slender

    Spanish

  • Díaz

    Son of Diego

    Spanish

  • Donoso

    Graceful or witty

    Spanish

E

  • Egas

    From the medieval Portuguese given name Egas

    Spanish

  • Egüez

    Basque place-name surname

    Spanish

  • Eljuri

    From Arabic al-Khoury, the priest; Cuenca family

    Arabic

  • Endara

    Basque place-name surname

    Spanish

  • Enríquez

    Son of Enrique; home ruler

    Spanish

  • Espinosa

    Thorny place; from espino, hawthorn

    Spanish

  • Espinoza

    Thorny place; from espino, hawthorn

    Spanish

  • Estupiñán

    Possibly from a Spanish place name; common in Esmeraldas

    Spanish

F

  • Farah

    Arabic for joy

    Arabic

  • Farinango

    Kichwa surname of Imbabura; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Figueroa

    Galician for fig tree grove

    Spanish

  • Flores

    Flowers; possibly son of Froila

    Spanish

  • Freire

    Galician for friar

    Spanish

G

  • Galarza

    Basque place-name surname

    Spanish

  • García

    Possibly from Basque for young or bear

    Spanish

  • Gómez

    Son of Gome, possibly from Gothic guma, man

    Spanish

  • González

    Son of Gonzalo; Germanic for battle

    Spanish

  • Guachamín

    Kichwa surname of Pichincha; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Guallichico

    Kichwa surname of Pichincha; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Guamán

    From Kichwa waman, falcon or hawk

    Kichwa

  • Guanoluisa

    Kichwa surname blended with Spanish Luisa; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Guaraca

    Possibly from Kichwa waraka, sling

    Kichwa

  • Guerra

    War; a nickname for a fighter

    Spanish

  • Guerrero

    Warrior or soldier

    Spanish

  • Guevara

    From a Basque place in Álava

    Spanish

  • Guzmán

    From Guzmán, a place in Burgos, Spain

    Spanish

H

  • Hanna

    Arabic form of John; God is gracious

    Arabic

  • Heredia

    Inheritance or estate

    Spanish

  • Hernández

    Son of Hernando; Germanic for bold journey

    Spanish

  • Herrera

    Forge or ironworks; place of iron

    Spanish

I

  • Idrovo

    Cuenca surname of uncertain Spanish origin

    Spanish

  • Iñiguez

    Son of Íñigo; a Basque given name

    Spanish

  • Intriago

    From a place name in Asturias

    Spanish

J

  • Jairala

    Lebanese-Ecuadorian; possibly Arabic Khairallah, goodness of God

    Arabic

  • Jalil

    Spanish spelling of Arabic Khalil, friend

    Arabic

  • Jara

    Rockrose shrub; one who lived by scrubland

    Spanish

  • Jaramillo

    Possibly from jara, the rockrose shrub

    Spanish

  • Játiva

    From Xàtiva, a town in Valencia

    Spanish

  • Jiménez

    Son of Jimeno; possibly a form of Simeon

    Spanish

K

  • Kronfle

    Lebanese-Ecuadorian; possibly from Arabic qaranful, clove

    Arabic

L

  • Lara

    From Lara de los Infantes in Burgos

    Spanish

  • Larrea

    Basque for pasture or meadow

    Spanish

  • Lasso

    Weary; or from a Cantabrian place name

    Spanish

  • Llumiquinga

    Kichwa surname of Pichincha; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Loor

    Possibly of Flemish or Spanish origin; common in Manabí

    Spanish

  • López

    Son of Lope; wolf

    Spanish

  • Luna

    Moon; from a place name

    Spanish

M

  • Macías

    Spanish form of Matthias; gift of God

    Spanish

  • Mahuad

    Lebanese-Ecuadorian surname; meaning uncertain

    Arabic

  • Maldonado

    Ill-favored; old nickname

    Spanish

  • Malo

    Bad; an ironic medieval nickname

    Spanish

  • Martínez

    Son of Martín; dedicated to Mars

    Spanish

  • Masaquiza

    Kichwa surname of the Salasaca people; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Mejía

    Possibly from Messiah or a Galician place name

    Spanish

  • Mendoza

    Basque for cold mountain

    Spanish

  • Merino

    Royal steward or district official

    Spanish

  • Mero

    Possibly from a Galician place name; common in Manabí

    Spanish

  • Mina

    From the Mina people shipped from Elmina, West Africa

    African

  • Molina

    Mill; from a place with a mill

    Spanish

  • Moncayo

    From the Moncayo mountain in Aragón

    Spanish

  • Montalvo

    White mountain; from a place name

    Spanish

  • Montenegro

    Black mountain; from a place name

    Spanish

  • Montero

    Huntsman or beater

    Spanish

  • Montesdeoca

    From Montes de Oca, hills in Burgos

    Spanish

  • Mora

    Mulberry or blackberry; from a place name

    Spanish

  • Morales

    Mulberry trees; from a place with mulberries

    Spanish

  • Moreira

    Galician-Portuguese for mulberry tree

    Portuguese

  • Morocho

    Dark-haired; also a type of maize

    Spanish

  • Mosquera

    Galician place name; place of flies

    Spanish

  • Muñoz

    Son of Muño; old Iberian given name

    Spanish

N

  • Nader

    Arabic for rare or precious

    Arabic

  • Naranjo

    Orange tree; one who lived by one

    Spanish

  • Navarrete

    Of Navarre; from a town in La Rioja

    Spanish

  • Nazareno

    Of Nazareth; a devotional name

    Spanish

  • Nieto

    Grandson; to tell apart a younger namesake

    Spanish

  • Noboa

    Galician; possibly from a place name

    Spanish

O

  • Ochoa

    Basque for wolf

    Spanish

  • Olmedo

    Elm grove; from a town in Valladolid

    Spanish

  • Ordóñez

    Son of Ordoño

    Spanish

  • Ortiz

    Son of Orti or Fortún; fortunate

    Spanish

P

  • Pacheco

    Old Spanish nickname; meaning uncertain

    Spanish

  • Palacios

    Palaces; one who lived near a manor house

    Spanish

  • Paredes

    Walls; from a place with old walls

    Spanish

  • Pastuña

    Kichwa surname of Cotopaxi; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Paucar

    From Kichwa pawqar, colorful or flowery

    Kichwa

  • Pazmiño

    Possibly from Galician paço, palace or manor

    Spanish

  • Peralta

    High rock; from a town in Navarre

    Spanish

  • Pérez

    Son of Pedro; rock

    Spanish

  • Pesántez

    Cuenca surname of uncertain Spanish origin

    Spanish

  • Pilataxi

    Kichwa surname of the Quito valleys; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Pilco

    Possibly from Kichwa pillku, a crimson bird

    Kichwa

  • Pillajo

    Kichwa surname of Pichincha; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Plaza

    Town square; one who lived near it

    Spanish

  • Ponce

    From the Latin name Pontius

    Spanish

  • Preciado

    Esteemed or valued

    Spanish

  • Proaño

    From a Cantabrian place name

    Spanish

Q

  • Quinatoa

    Kichwa surname of Cotopaxi; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Quiñónez

    From quiñones, shares of common land; common in Esmeraldas

    Spanish

  • Quiroz

    From Quirós, a place in Asturias

    Spanish

  • Quishpe

    Possibly from Kichwa kishpi, free or saved

    Kichwa

R

  • Ramírez

    Son of Ramiro; famed counsel

    Spanish

  • Reyes

    Kings; from the feast of the Three Kings

    Spanish

  • Rivadeneira

    Galician for bank of the Neira river

    Spanish

  • Rivera

    Riverbank; one who lived by a river

    Spanish

  • Robalino

    Possibly Galician; meaning uncertain

    Spanish

  • Rodríguez

    Son of Rodrigo; famous ruler

    Spanish

  • Rojas

    Red; from a place with red earth

    Spanish

  • Romero

    Pilgrim to Rome; also rosemary

    Spanish

  • Rosero

    Rose grower or one who lived by roses

    Spanish

  • Ruiz

    Son of Ruy, short for Rodrigo

    Spanish

S

  • Salazar

    Basque place name; old manor house

    Spanish

  • Salem

    Arabic for safe or peaceful

    Arabic

  • Salgado

    Salted; old nickname

    Spanish

  • Salinas

    Salt pans; from a place with salt works

    Spanish

  • Sánchez

    Son of Sancho; holy

    Spanish

  • Sarmiento

    Vine shoot; from a place name

    Spanish

  • Serrano

    One who lived in the mountains

    Spanish

  • Sigüenza

    From Sigüenza, a town in Guadalajara

    Spanish

  • Simbaña

    Kichwa surname of the Quito area; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Sisalema

    Kichwa surname of Tungurahua; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Solórzano

    From a Cantabrian place name

    Spanish

  • Suárez

    Son of Suero, a medieval given name of uncertain origin

    Spanish

T

  • Tacuri

    Andean Kichwa surname; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Taipe

    Andean Kichwa surname; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Tamayo

    From a place name in Burgos

    Spanish

  • Tapia

    Mud or adobe wall

    Spanish

  • Tenesaca

    Kichwa surname of Cañar; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Terán

    From a Cantabrian place name

    Spanish

  • Tipán

    Kichwa surname from the Quito highlands; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Tipanluisa

    Kichwa surname blending Tipán with Luisa

    Kichwa

  • Tituaña

    Kichwa surname of Cotacachi; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Toapanta

    Kichwa surname of Cotopaxi and Pichincha; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Toaquiza

    Kichwa surname of Cotopaxi; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Toro

    Bull; a nickname for a strong man

    Spanish

  • Torres

    Towers; from a place with towers

    Spanish

U

  • Ushiña

    Kichwa surname of Pichincha; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

V

  • Valarezo

    Loja surname from a Spanish place name; meaning uncertain

    Spanish

  • Valencia

    From the city of Valencia; strength

    Spanish

  • Vallejo

    Small valley; from a place name

    Spanish

  • Vargas

    Sloping meadows; from a Cantabrian place name

    Spanish

  • Vásquez

    Son of Vasco; the Basque

    Spanish

  • Velasco

    Basque for small crow

    Spanish

  • Vera

    Riverbank or edge; from a Spanish place name

    Spanish

  • Villacís

    Spanish surname from a place name; meaning uncertain

    Spanish

  • Villavicencio

    Town of Vicente

    Spanish

  • Vintimilla

    From Ventimiglia, a town in Liguria; Cuenca family

    Italian

  • Vinueza

    From Vinuesa, a town in Soria

    Spanish

  • Viteri

    Basque place-name surname

    Spanish

Y

  • Yamberla

    Kichwa surname of Otavalo; meaning uncertain

    Kichwa

  • Yépez

    From Yepes, a town near Toledo

    Spanish

Z

  • Zambrano

    Possibly from a Spanish place name; very common in Manabí

    Spanish

  • Zamora

    From the Spanish city of Zamora

    Spanish

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  • Tipán

    Kichwa surname from the Quito highlands; meaning uncertain

  • Carvajal

    Oak grove; from a place name

    Spanish

  • Angulo

    Corner; from Angulo in Burgos

    Spanish

  • Romero

    Pilgrim to Rome; also rosemary

    Spanish

  • Cachiguango

    Kichwa surname of Otavalo; meaning uncertain

  • Molina

    Mill; from a place with a mill

    Spanish

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    Spanish roots of Ecuadorian last names

    Most Ecuadorians carry Spanish surnames, and some are especially typical of the country. Zambrano, Cedeño, Vera, Mendoza, Macías, Alcívar, Intriago, Loor and Moreira are common in Manabí on the Pacific coast, while names like Andrade, Paredes, Guerrero and Jaramillo are widespread in the highlands. Loor is a good example of a name that is fairly rare elsewhere in the Spanish-speaking world but instantly familiar to Ecuadorians, especially those with family ties to the coast.

    Like other Spanish-speaking countries, Ecuador uses two surnames, the father's first and the mother's second. A woman named María Zambrano Cedeño has Zambrano from her father and Cedeño from her mother, and she does not normally give up either at marriage. In formal settings people use both names, while in daily life the first surname is usually enough. When you research a family, record both surnames, because they point to two separate family lines.

    Kichwa names from the Andean highlands

    Kichwa, the Ecuadorian form of Quechua, is spoken by many Indigenous communities in the Sierra and parts of the Amazon. Surnames from the language are common in provinces such as Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Imbabura and Pichincha. Quishpe comes from qispi, often translated as free or crystal clear, and Guamán from waman, a falcon. Chicaiza, Toapanta, Tipán and Pilco are also familiar across the central Sierra. Many of these names were first written down by Spanish priests and clerks.

    Other Kichwa names are closely tied to one area. Families around Otavalo in Imbabura often carry names such as Cachiguango, Tituaña, Farinango and Anrango, and Toaquiza is familiar in Cotopaxi, where the Tigua painting tradition grew. Spelling varies because Kichwa had no fixed alphabet when the names were first recorded, so Quishpe and Quispe or Guamán and Huamán are forms of the same word. Some families now prefer spellings that follow modern Kichwa writing more closely.

    Regional variety, migration and research tips

    Ecuador's regions give their names different flavors. The coast around Guayaquil absorbed families from Lebanon, Italy and China from the late 1800s onward, bringing names such as Bucaram, Dahik and Dassum alongside the Spanish ones. Quito and Cuenca have old colonial families, and the Amazon is home to Shuar and Kichwa communities with their own naming traditions. Afro-Ecuadorian communities in Esmeraldas and the Chota Valley mostly carry Spanish surnames such as Quiñónez, Caicedo and Valencia.

    Many Ecuadorians have moved to Spain, Italy and the United States, especially the New York area, so these names now appear far beyond the Andes. For family research, civil registration in Ecuador began at the start of the 20th century, and earlier records are held in Catholic parish books, many filmed and indexed by FamilySearch. Record both surnames of every ancestor, since the maternal name is often what separates two families with the same first surname.

    Frequently asked questions

    What are some common Ecuadorian last names?

    Spanish names such as Zambrano, Cedeño, Vera, Mendoza, Rodríguez, Andrade and Moreira are very familiar in Ecuador, along with Kichwa names like Quishpe, Guamán and Chicaiza in the highlands. Many families on the coast of Manabí share names like Zambrano and Loor.

    What does Quishpe mean?

    Quishpe is the Ecuadorian spelling of Quispe, from the Quechua and Kichwa word qispi. It is usually translated as free, saved or clear like crystal. It is one of the best known Indigenous names in the Andes and is found in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

    Why do Ecuadorians carry both parents' names?

    Ecuador follows the Spanish system. Children receive the father's first surname followed by the mother's first surname, so both sides of the family stay visible. Women usually keep their own names after marriage, though older documents sometimes add de followed by the husband's surname.

    Are Kichwa names spelled the same everywhere?

    No. Spanish clerks wrote them as they heard them, so the same root appears as Guamán, Huamán or Waman and as Quishpe or Quispe. Modern Kichwa writing uses a unified alphabet, but most families keep the spelling that appears on their civil documents.

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