Peruvian Last Names
These Peruvian last names mix Spanish surnames with Quechua and Aymara names from the Andes, plus Chinese, Japanese and Italian family names, listed A to Z with their meanings. Names like Quispe, Huamán and Mamani show Peru's Indigenous roots clearly.
176 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.
A
-
Acosta
Coast or hillside
Spanish
-
Del Águila
Of the eagle; common in Amazonian Peru
Spanish
-
Aguilar
Place of eagles
Spanish
-
Alarcón
From Alarcón, a town in Cuenca
Spanish
-
Álvarez
Son of Álvaro; Germanic for elf warrior
Spanish
-
Apaza
Aymara surname of Puno; meaning uncertain
Aymara
-
Arakaki
Okinawan; new fence or wall
Japanese
-
Arce
Maple tree; from a place name
Spanish
-
Arévalo
From Arévalo, a town in Ávila
Spanish
-
Ayala
Basque for slope or pasture
Spanish
B
-
Barrios
Neighborhoods; from a place name
Spanish
-
Benavides
From Benavides, a town in León
Spanish
-
Bravo
Brave or fierce
Spanish
-
Bustamante
From a Cantabrian place name
Spanish
C
-
Cabrera
Place of goats
Spanish
-
Cáceres
From the city of Cáceres
Spanish
-
Cahuana
Possibly from Quechua qhawana, lookout place
Quechua
-
Campos
Fields; one who lived in open country
Spanish
-
Carbajal
Oak grove
Spanish
-
Cárdenas
Purplish; from a place name in La Rioja
Spanish
-
Carrasco
Holm oak; from a place with oaks
Spanish
-
Castillo
Castle; one who lived near a castle
Spanish
-
Castro
Hillfort; from Latin castrum
Spanish
-
Ccahuana
Variant of Cahuana; possibly Quechua for lookout
Quechua
-
Ccallo
Quechua surname of Cusco; meaning uncertain
Quechua
-
Ccama
Quechua surname of Cusco; meaning uncertain
Quechua
-
Ccori
From Quechua quri, gold
Quechua
-
Chalco
Quechua surname of the southern Andes; meaning uncertain
Quechua
-
Chambi
Aymara surname; borne by photographer Martín Chambi
Aymara
-
Chan
Cantonese for Chen, to display; an ancient state
Chinese
-
Chang
Wade-Giles spelling of Zhang; archer or bow-maker
Chinese
-
Chávez
Keys; possibly from the Portuguese town of Chaves
Spanish
-
Chiang
Wade-Giles spelling of Jiang, river
Chinese
-
Chinen
Okinawan place-name surname; meaning uncertain
Japanese
-
Chipana
Aymara surname; possibly from a word for bracelet
Aymara
-
Chirinos
Possibly from a Spanish place name
Spanish
-
Chiu
Cantonese for Zhao, an ancient state
Chinese
-
Chong
Cantonese form of Zhang or Zhuang
Chinese
-
Choque
Possibly from Aymara chuqi, gold or precious metal
Aymara
-
Choy
Cantonese for Cai, an ancient state
Chinese
-
Chu
Cantonese for Zhu, vermilion
Chinese
-
Chung
Cantonese for Zhong, bell or middle
Chinese
-
Chura
Possibly from Aymara chura, to give
Aymara
-
Coaquira
Aymara surname of Puno; meaning uncertain
Aymara
-
Colque
From Aymara qullqi, silver
Aymara
-
Condori
From Quechua and Aymara kuntur, condor
Aymara
-
Contreras
Surrounding district; from a place name
Spanish
-
Córdova
From the Spanish city of Córdoba
Spanish
-
Cornejo
Dogwood tree; from a place name
Spanish
-
Cruz
Cross; a devotional name
Spanish
-
Cusi
From Quechua kusi, joy or happiness
Quechua
-
Cutipa
Possibly from Aymara kuti, return
Aymara
D
-
Delgado
Thin or slender
Spanish
-
Díaz
Son of Diego
Spanish
E
-
Espinoza
Thorny place; from espino, hawthorn
Spanish
F
-
Fernández
Son of Fernando; bold journey
Spanish
-
Flores
Flowers; possibly son of Froila
Spanish
-
Fuentes
Springs or fountains
Spanish
-
Fujimori
Wisteria forest in Japanese
Japanese
G
-
Gamarra
Basque place name in Álava
Spanish
-
García
Possibly from Basque for young or bear
Spanish
-
Gómez
Son of Gome; Germanic for man
Spanish
-
Gonzales
Peruvian spelling of González; son of Gonzalo
Spanish
-
Guerrero
Warrior or soldier
Spanish
-
Gutiérrez
Son of Gutierre; Germanic for army ruler
Spanish
-
Guzmán
Good man; from Germanic
Spanish
H
-
Hernández
Son of Hernando; Germanic for bold journey
Spanish
-
Herrera
Forge or ironworks; place of iron
Spanish
-
Higa
Okinawan place-name surname; meaning uncertain
Japanese
-
Huallpa
Possibly from Quechua wallpa, fowl
Quechua
-
Huamán
From Quechua waman, falcon or hawk
Quechua
-
Huamaní
Quechua; from waman, falcon, or wamani, mountain spirit
Quechua
-
Huanca
From Quechua wanka, sacred stone; also a people
Quechua
-
Huaraca
From Quechua waraka, sling
Quechua
-
Huarcaya
Quechua surname of Ayacucho; meaning uncertain
Quechua
-
Huayta
From Quechua wayta, wild flower
Quechua
-
Huertas
Orchards or vegetable gardens
Spanish
-
Huillca
Variant of Vilca; Quechua for sacred
Quechua
I
-
Inca
From Quechua inka, ruler or lord
Quechua
J
-
Jiménez
Son of Jimeno; possibly a form of Simeon
Spanish
K
-
Kanashiro
Okinawan; golden castle
Japanese
L
-
Lau
Cantonese form of Liu; battle-axe
Chinese
-
León
Lion; or from the city of León
Spanish
-
Limachi
Aymara surname; meaning uncertain
Aymara
-
Llanque
Aymara surname; meaning uncertain
Aymara
-
Llerena
From Llerena, a town in Badajoz
Spanish
-
Loayza
Basque place-name surname
Spanish
-
López
Son of Lope; wolf
Spanish
-
Lozano
Proud, lively or handsome
Spanish
-
Luna
Moon; from a place name
Spanish
M
-
Machaca
Possibly from Aymara machaqa, new
Aymara
-
Mamani
From Aymara mamani, falcon
Aymara
-
Martínez
Son of Martín; dedicated to Mars
Spanish
-
Mayta
Quechua or Aymara surname; meaning uncertain
Quechua
-
Medina
From Arabic madina, town
Spanish
-
Mendoza
Basque for cold mountain
Spanish
-
Meza
Plateau or table
Spanish
-
Miranda
Place with a view
Spanish
-
Miyashiro
Okinawan; shrine castle
Japanese
-
Montoya
From a Basque place name in Álava
Spanish
-
Morales
Mulberry trees; from a place with mulberries
Spanish
-
Muñoz
Son of Muño; old Iberian given name
Spanish
N
-
Nakamura
Middle village in Japanese
Japanese
-
Navarro
From the kingdom of Navarre
Spanish
-
Nina
From Quechua and Aymara nina, fire
Quechua
-
Núñez
Son of Nuño
Spanish
O
-
Olivera
Olive tree; one who lived by olives
Spanish
-
Ortiz
Son of Orti or Fortún; fortunate
Spanish
-
Oshiro
Okinawan; great castle
Japanese
P
-
Palacios
Palaces; one who lived near a manor house
Spanish
-
Palomino
Little dove; an affectionate nickname
Spanish
-
Panduro
Possibly from pan duro, hard bread; a nickname
Spanish
-
Paredes
Walls; from a place with old walls
Spanish
-
Pari
Quechua surname; meaning uncertain
Quechua
-
Paucar
From Quechua pawqar, colorful or flowery
Quechua
-
Peña
Rock or crag
Spanish
-
Pérez
Son of Pedro; rock
Spanish
-
Pezo
Possibly Galician; common in Loreto
Spanish
-
Pinto
Painted or spotted
Spanish
-
Poma
From Quechua puma, cougar
Quechua
-
Portocarrero
Mountain pass road
Spanish
-
Prado
Meadow; one who lived by a meadow
Spanish
Q
-
Quenta
Aymara surname of Puno; meaning uncertain
Aymara
-
Quispe
From Quechua qispi, free or liberated
Quechua
R
-
Raffo
Ligurian Italian; possibly from Raffaele
Italian
-
Ramírez
Son of Ramiro; famed counsel
Spanish
-
Ramos
Branches; from Palm Sunday
Spanish
-
Rengifo
Possibly from a Spanish place name; common in Amazonian Peru
Spanish
-
Reyes
Kings; from the feast of the Three Kings
Spanish
-
Ríos
Rivers; one who lived by rivers
Spanish
-
Rivera
Riverbank; one who lived by a river
Spanish
-
Rodríguez
Son of Rodrigo; famous ruler
Spanish
-
Rojas
Red; from a place with red earth
Spanish
-
Romero
Pilgrim to Rome; also rosemary
Spanish
-
Ruiz
Son of Ruy, short for Rodrigo
Spanish
S
-
Salas
Halls; from a manor house
Spanish
-
Salazar
Basque place name; old manor house
Spanish
-
Sánchez
Son of Sancho; holy
Spanish
-
Shimabukuro
Okinawan; island bag or cove
Japanese
-
Sifuentes
Variant of Cifuentes; hundred springs
Spanish
-
Silva
Forest or woodland; from Latin silva
Spanish
-
Siu
Cantonese for Xiao, mugwort
Chinese
-
Solari
Ligurian Italian surname; possibly sunny place
Italian
-
Solís
Sunny place; from Asturias
Spanish
-
Soncco
From Quechua sunqu, heart
Quechua
-
Sotelo
Small grove; from a Galician place
Spanish
-
Soto
Grove or thicket
Spanish
-
Sulca
Possibly from Quechua sullka, youngest child
Quechua
T
-
Tacuri
Quechua surname; meaning uncertain
Quechua
-
Takahashi
High bridge in Japanese
Japanese
-
Tamashiro
Okinawan; jewel castle
Japanese
-
Tang
Chinese; from the Tang state or dynasty
Chinese
-
Tapia
Mud or adobe wall
Spanish
-
Tello
From the old given name Tello
Spanish
-
Ticona
Aymara surname of the Altiplano; meaning uncertain
Aymara
-
Titi
From Aymara titi, Andean wildcat
Aymara
-
Torres
Towers; from a place with towers
Spanish
-
Tuesta
From Tuesta, a village in Álava
Spanish
U
-
Uehara
Upper field in Japanese
Japanese
V
-
Valdivia
From a Spanish place name; valley of the river
Spanish
-
Valverde
Green valley; from a place name
Spanish
-
Vargas
Sloping meadows; from a Cantabrian place name
Spanish
-
Vásquez
Son of Vasco; the Basque
Spanish
-
Vega
Fertile lowland or meadow
Spanish
-
Vela
Vigil or watch; also sail
Spanish
-
Vera
Riverbank or edge; from a Spanish place name
Spanish
-
Vilca
From Quechua willka, sacred
Quechua
-
Villanueva
New town; from a common place name
Spanish
W
-
Wong
Cantonese for Huang, yellow, or Wang, king
Chinese
Y
-
Yamashiro
Mountain castle in Japanese
Japanese
-
Yapura
Aymara surname; meaning uncertain
Aymara
-
Yauri
From Quechua yawri, needle
Quechua
-
Yucra
Quechua surname of the southern Andes; meaning uncertain
Quechua
-
Yupanqui
Quechua for honored or you will count; Inca royal name
Quechua
Z
-
Zegarra
Basque place-name surname
Spanish
-
Zevallos
Variant of Cevallos; from a Cantabrian place
Spanish
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-
Cornejo
Dogwood tree; from a place name
Spanish
-
Rojas
Red; from a place with red earth
Spanish
-
Fuentes
Springs or fountains
Spanish
-
Yucra
Quechua surname of the southern Andes; meaning uncertain
-
Siu
Cantonese for Xiao, mugwort
Chinese
-
Vásquez
Son of Vasco; the Basque
Spanish
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Peruvian last names from Quechua and Aymara
Some of the most common surnames in Peru come from Indigenous languages. Quispe comes from Quechua qispi, linked to being free or saved and also to crystal. Huamán is waman, a falcon or hawk, and Poma is puma. Condori comes from kunturi, condor, and Mamani is an Aymara word for a falcon. Choque comes from chuqi, gold or precious metal, Cusi from kusi, joy, and Huanca from wanka, a sacred stone.
Yupanqui recalls the names of Inca rulers such as Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui. Colonial priests and scribes wrote these names with Spanish spelling, so the w sound became hu and the k and q sounds became qu or c. That is why waman is written Huamán and qispi Quispe. Many of these names are especially common in the southern highlands around Cusco, Puno and Arequipa, while Aymara names cluster near Lake Titicaca.
Father and mother on every Peruvian ID
Like other Spanish speaking countries, Peru uses two surnames. The first is the father's first surname and the second is the mother's first surname, so the writer Mario Vargas Llosa has Vargas from his father and Llosa from his mother. Everyday speech often uses only the first surname. The two names give an immediate picture of a person's family on both sides, and many Peruvians combine a Spanish surname with a Quechua or Aymara one.
Common Spanish surnames in Peru include Flores, Sánchez, Rodríguez, García, Rojas, Chávez, Ramos, Vásquez, Torres, Díaz and Mendoza. Pairings such as Quispe Flores or Rojas Mamani are typical. Women usually keep both of their own surnames after marriage, though some add de followed by the husband's surname in social settings. Official identity documents record both surnames, and forms usually have separate fields for each.
Chinese, Japanese and Italian family lines
Peru has one of the oldest Chinese communities in Latin America. Contract workers arrived from southern China in the middle of the nineteenth century, and their descendants, known as tusán, carry names like Chang, Wong, Chong and Lau. Chinese Peruvian influence is also visible in food, with chifa restaurants found across the country. Some families combined Chinese and Spanish surnames within a few generations.
Japanese immigration began at the end of the nineteenth century, and many settlers came from Okinawa, bringing names such as Higa, Nakamura and Tamashiro. Italian immigrants, many from Liguria, settled in Lima and Callao and left names like Raffo and Solari. These names add another layer to the list, and they are useful for writers who want a Peruvian character with a family story that goes beyond the usual picture.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a Peruvian name include both parents?
Peru follows the Spanish custom of listing the father's first surname followed by the mother's first surname. This shows both sides of the family. In everyday speech many people use only the first surname, but official documents always include both.
What does Quispe mean?
Quispe comes from the Quechua word qispi, associated with being free or saved and also with glass or crystal. It is one of the most widespread surnames in Peru, especially in the southern highlands, and is shared by many unrelated families.
Which Peruvian last names are Quechua or Aymara?
Quispe, Huamán, Poma, Huanca, Cusi, Yupanqui and Choque are Quechua or shared Andean names, while Mamani, Condori, Apaza and Ticona are strongly associated with Aymara communities. The meanings in the list explain the language behind each name where it is known.
Why are there Chinese and Japanese names in Peru?
Chinese workers arrived in the nineteenth century and Japanese settlers from the end of that century, many from Okinawa. Their descendants are an established part of Peruvian society, so names like Chang, Wong and Higa sit alongside Spanish and Andean ones.
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