200+ Colombian Last Names: Unique, Popular & Rare Surnames

Colombian last names carry a rich mix of history, culture, and tradition that reflect the country’s diverse roots. From unique Colombian last names that stand out for their distinct heritage to popular Colombian last names that many families proudly carry, each one tells a story.

Some families are known for beautiful Colombian last names passed down through generations, while others have more common Colombian last names widely recognized across the nation.

There are also rare Colombian last names that add a sense of mystery, as well as ancient Colombian last names that trace back to colonial and indigenous origins.

In today’s society, you can also find modern Colombian last names alongside trendy Colombian last names that reflect changing times, blending tradition with contemporary influence.

Also Read:225+ Four Letter Girl Names – Unique, Modern, and Historical

unique Colombian last names

1. Acevedo – Of Spanish origin, meaning “place of holly trees,” often linked to Colombian families in Antioquia.
2. Arismendi – A rare Basque surname meaning “oak mountain,” brought to Colombia during colonial times.
3. Bohórquez – Distinctive surname of Castilian origin, tied to noble families in Spain and South America.
4. Calderón – Derived from the Spanish word for “cauldron,” symbolizing strength and endurance.
5. Carrasquilla – A unique surname tied to Antioquian roots, associated with Colombian writers and artists.
6. Ceballos – Of Spanish-Leonese heritage, meaning “onion field,” carried by notable Colombian families.
7. Chaparro – Means “short” or “dwarf” in Spanish, often used as a descriptive surname in Colombia.
8. Delgado – Originates from the Spanish word “slender” or “thin,” seen as elegant and rare in rural Colombia.
9. Echeverri – Basque surname meaning “new house,” widely associated with Antioquia’s elite families.
10. Escobar – Though internationally recognized, it is still a unique surname in Colombian history, tied to colonial settlers.
11. Forero – Derived from “foro” (marketplace), originally given to traders and merchants in Colombia.
12. Galindo – Ancient Iberian surname meaning “little gallant one,” uncommon in Colombia but present in Bogotá families.
13. Giraldo – Of Visigothic origin, meaning “brave with a spear,” unique in Colombia due to its Basque lineage.
14. Guevara – Comes from Basque, meaning “rocky height,” and is carried by a few Colombian lineages.
15. Jaramillo – Spanish origin, meaning “bush” or “thicket,” tied to Colombian coffee-growing regions.
16. Ladino – Rare surname in Colombia, historically linked with Jewish converts during Spanish colonial rule.
17. Lemaitre – Of French origin, meaning “the master,” introduced by immigrants to Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
18. Lozano – Means “lush” or “healthy,” representing families tied to fertile Colombian lands.
19. Maldonado – Ancient Spanish surname meaning “badly given,” brought to Colombia during conquest.
20. Obando – Rare surname of Galician origin, carried by Colombian historical figures and politicians.
21. Orjuela – Unique Colombian surname of Basque origin, meaning “valley of gold.”
22. Pizarro – Linked to Spanish conquistadors, still considered rare among Colombian families.
23. Quintero – Of Spanish origin, meaning “fifth,” possibly referring to tax collection or land division.
24. Salcedo – Basque surname meaning “willow grove,” rare but preserved in Colombian highland families.
25. Zambrano – Distinctive surname from León, Spain, tied to Colombian heritage through migration.

popular Colombian last names

1. Agudelo – Common in Antioquia, of Basque origin, meaning “place of eagles.”
2. Álvarez – A patronymic surname meaning “son of Álvaro,” widespread across Colombia.
3. Arias – Originating from Galicia, Spain, meaning “farmlands” or “plains.”
4. Barragán – Spanish surname meaning “valiant” or “warrior,” found often in Bogotá and Cali.
5. Bedoya – A Basque surname meaning “the forest,” very common in Antioquian families.
6. Beltrán – Means “bright raven,” tied to medieval Spanish families and common in Colombia.
7. Bernal – Derived from “bear” in Germanic roots, carried by many Colombian households.
8. Bonilla – Comes from “beautiful” or “pretty” in Old Spanish, spread across Colombian regions.
9. Bustamante – Noble surname meaning “castle of abundance,” popular in Medellín and Cali.
10. Cabrera – Spanish origin, meaning “place of goats,” common among Colombian farming families.
11. Camacho – Means “twisted” or “crooked,” but seen as a proud, well-known surname in Colombia.
12. Cárdenas – Comes from “thistle plants,” common among Colombian political and academic families.
13. Castellanos – Means “from the castle,” frequently found in Bogotá and Santander regions.
14. Castro – Ancient Iberian surname meaning “fortress,” very widespread in Colombia.
15. Contreras – Means “opposite” or “across,” popular in Colombian cities like Cali and Barranquilla.
16. Correa – Refers to “belt” or “strap maker,” often carried by Antioquian families.
17. Cortés – Derived from “courteous” or “polite,” linked to colonial Spanish settlers.
18. Cuellar – Meaning “neck” or “collar,” a common surname in central Colombia.
19. Díaz – Patronymic surname meaning “son of Diego,” one of the most common surnames in Colombia.
20. Domínguez – Means “son of Domingo,” widespread among Catholic families.
21. Franco – Derived from “Frank” or “free man,” common in coastal Colombian areas.
22. Gaitán – Comes from Latin “Caietanus,” meaning “from Gaeta, Italy,” popular in Bogotá.
23. Herrera – Occupational surname meaning “blacksmith,” widely used in Colombia.
24. Ibáñez – Means “son of Iván,” found frequently in the Andean regions of Colombia.
25. Marín – Meaning “sailor” or “mariner,” tied to Colombia’s coastal heritage.

beautiful Colombian last names

1. Abadía – Means “abbey” or “monastery,” elegant surname with a spiritual tone.
2. Acosta – Spanish origin meaning “by the coast,” beautiful and tied to Colombia’s Caribbean culture.
3. Amaya – Of Basque origin, meaning “the end” or “high place,” poetic and melodic.
4. Anaya – Meaning “lookout” or “watchtower,” rare yet graceful in Colombian families.
5. Arévalo – Comes from Old Spanish, meaning “fertile land,” often admired for its softness.
6. Ballesteros – Means “archers” or “crossbowmen,” noble and strong-sounding surname.
7. Becerra – Refers to a “young cow” or “heifer,” symbolizing abundance and beauty in nature.
8. Bermúdez – Patronymic meaning “son of Bermudo,” charming and classic in Colombian lineages.
9. Bonett – Of French origin, elegant surname found in Colombia’s coastal cities.
10. Caicedo – Afro-Colombian heritage surname, often admired for its rhythmic sound.
11. Cañizares – Means “reed beds,” nature-inspired surname with lyrical qualities.
12. Cardozo – From “cardoon plant,” associated with beauty and resilience.
13. Carvajal – Noble Spanish surname meaning “thorny thicket,” admired for its history.
14. Cediel – Rare Colombian surname, considered attractive due to its melodic pronunciation.
15. Cifuentes – Means “hundred springs,” associated with natural beauty and abundance.
16. Del Castillo – Meaning “of the castle,” romantic and majestic in tone.
17. Esquivel – From Basque origin, meaning “beautiful house,” elegant and refined.
18. Fajardo – Linked to Spanish nobility, admired for its smooth flow and prestige.
19. Gaviria – Originating in Basque regions, meaning “summer pasture,” graceful in Colombian culture.
20. Granados – Means “pomegranate trees,” symbolizing life and beauty.
21. Holguín – Noble surname of Spanish origin, admired for its sophistication.
22. Leyva – From medieval Spain, associated with nobility and elegance.
23. Montoya – Basque surname meaning “mountain valley,” poetic and very admired.
24. Peñalosa – Meaning “stony hill,” unique with a beautiful geographic connection.
25. Valderrama – From Spanish, meaning “branchy valley,” admired for its refined sound and prestige.

common Colombian last names

1. Aguirre – Basque origin, meaning “prominent place,” widespread in Colombia.
2. Ángel – Meaning “angel” or “messenger,” common in Catholic Colombian families.
3. Aponte – Derived from “bridge,” found widely in Valle del Cauca and the coast.
4. Arango – Very recognizable surname in Antioquia, Basque origin meaning “valley.”
5. Baquero – Occupational surname meaning “cowherd,” common in rural Colombia.
6. Barbosa – Portuguese origin meaning “bearded,” carried by many Bogotá families.
7. Bautista – Refers to “Baptist,” very common in Christian Colombian households.
8. Bravo – Meaning “brave” or “wild,” common across Colombia.
9. Bustos – Refers to a town in Spain, spread widely among Colombian families.
10. Calle – Literally means “street,” frequently used in Antioquia.
11. Camargo – Spanish origin, tied to families in Santander, very common.
12. Campos – Meaning “fields,” a surname found in farming regions of Colombia.
13. Cantillo – Refers to “corner of land,” common in Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
14. Carrillo – Meaning “small cart,” carried by many Colombian lineages.
15. Casas – Means “houses,” representing settlement or family estates.
16. Chacón – Common surname meaning “from Chacón,” originally a Spanish town.
17. Coronado – Means “crowned,” widespread in Bogotá and coastal Colombia.
18. Cruz – Means “cross,” one of the most common surnames in religious families.
19. Durán – Spanish origin, meaning “enduring,” carried by many Colombian households.
20. Espinosa – Means “thorny” or “full of thorns,” very common in central Colombia.
21. Figueroa – Of Galician origin, meaning “fig tree,” common surname in Colombia.
22. Guzmán – Meaning “good man,” frequently used across Colombia.
23. Hoyos – Refers to “valleys” or “holes,” very typical in Antioquia.
24. Jiménez – Patronymic meaning “son of Jimeno,” one of the most frequent surnames in Colombia.
25. Morales – Derived from “mulberry tree,” widely found throughout Colombian regions.

rare Colombian last names

1. Alzate – Indigenous origin from the Andes, uncommon outside certain Colombian regions.
2. Arbeláez – Basque origin, meaning “meadow of hazelnuts,” found mostly in Antioquia.
3. Barreto – Portuguese origin, meaning “little bar,” rare but present in Caribbean families.
4. Bocanegra – Literally “black mouth,” a striking and unusual surname in Colombia.
5. Caballero – Means “knight” or “gentleman,” noble-sounding but relatively rare.
6. Calvo – Means “bald,” uncommon compared to other descriptive surnames.
7. Cañón – Meaning “canyon,” rare surname tied to mountainous Colombian regions.
8. Cárdeno – Derived from “purple” or “dark-colored,” not widely found in Colombia.
9. Carrascal – Means “oak grove,” rare surname tied to Spanish settlers.
10. Del Río – Meaning “of the river,” uncommon but poetic surname in Colombia.
11. Enciso – From a place in La Rioja, Spain; rare surname kept in some Colombian families.
12. Erazo – Rare surname of Basque origin, linked to southwestern Colombia.
13. Fajón – Derived from “belt” or “sash,” uncommon and distinctive.
14. Flórez – Variant of “Flores,” but much less common in Colombia.
15. Garzón – Means “young lad” or “servant,” rare compared to more frequent surnames.
16. Góngora – Unusual Spanish surname, tied to a few families in Bogotá.
17. Granobles – Indigenous-Colombian heritage surname, extremely rare.
18. Guarín – Derived from Visigothic roots, meaning “protector,” not widely spread.
19. Lleras – Rare surname historically tied to political leaders in Colombia.
20. Madriñán – Rare Galician origin surname, found in Valle del Cauca.
21. Mateus – Portuguese variant of “Matthew,” far less common than its Spanish counterpart.
22. Medrano – Means “pasture land,” rare but preserved in small Colombian communities.
23. Ocampo – Galician surname meaning “field,” rare compared to mainstream surnames.
24. Pabón – Rare surname of Asturian origin, tied to Santander families.
25. Zúñiga – Noble surname from Navarre, Spain, rare but kept by a few Colombian lineages.

ancient Colombian last names

1. Albarracín – Of Arabic-Spanish origin, meaning “mountain fortress,” introduced during colonial times.
2. Albornoz – Old Castilian surname tied to medieval nobility, carried into Colombia by early settlers.
3. Ariza – Ancient surname of Aragonese origin, meaning “plowed land.”
4. Ayala – Noble Basque surname meaning “slope” or “hillside,” linked to Spanish conquistadors.
5. Belalcázar – Historic surname connected to Sebastián de Belalcázar, Spanish conquistador in Colombia.
6. Borrero – Ancient surname meaning “shepherd of sheep,” tied to colonial Colombian families.
7. Cabal – Derived from an old Spanish word meaning “complete” or “upright,” carried by early settlers.
8. Calatrava – From the medieval military order of Calatrava in Spain, rare but ancient in Colombia.
9. Cañaveral – Means “place of sugarcane,” tied to colonial-era agricultural families.
10. Cepeda – Ancient Spanish surname meaning “abundant fig trees,” linked to noble lineages.
11. Chaves – Medieval surname meaning “keys,” symbolizing guardianship, found in early Colombian records.
12. Del Pozo – Meaning “of the well,” an ancient Castilian surname tied to colonial settlers.
13. Escamilla – Old Spanish surname referring to a place in Córdoba, Spain, preserved in Colombia.
14. Estrada – Means “road” or “path,” ancient surname associated with explorers and settlers.
15. Fuenmayor – From Old Spanish, meaning “great spring” or “large fountain,” tied to colonial nobility.
16. Galarza – Ancient Basque surname meaning “barn” or “granary,” brought to Colombia by early immigrants.
17. Illera – Rare and ancient surname, tied to old Castilian families, preserved in Colombia.
18. Izquierdo – Means “left-handed,” a descriptive medieval surname passed into Colombian ancestry.
19. Loaiza – Ancient Basque surname meaning “valley of wolves,” carried into Antioquia.
20. Macías – Medieval Spanish surname meaning “gift of God,” present in early Colombian Catholic records.
21. Mayorga – Noble surname from Valladolid, Spain, linked to early settlers in Colombia.
22. Mosquera – Ancient surname meaning “place of moss,” tied to a prominent Colombian political family.
23. Obregón – Historic Spanish surname meaning “small settlement,” introduced in colonial Colombia.
24. Pineda – Meaning “pine forest,” ancient surname connected to early Spanish colonizers.
25. Suárez – Patronymic surname meaning “son of Suero,” widespread since colonial times in Colombia.

modern Colombian last names

1. Abello – Contemporary sounding surname of Spanish origin, linked to families in the Caribbean region.
2. Acuña – Modern surname meaning “small basin” or “valley,” carried by younger generations.
3. Agredo – Rare but increasingly used surname, tied to families in Cauca and Valle del Cauca.
4. Alzuru – Venezuelan-Colombian surname, becoming more modern through migration trends.
5. Angulo – Meaning “corner,” a surname now popular among urban Colombian families.
6. Ardila – Modern Colombian surname, especially common in Santander, tied to professional families.
7. Barón – Meaning “baron” or “nobleman,” now often linked to entrepreneurial and modern circles.
8. Bastidas – Increasingly used surname in Valle del Cauca and Nariño, tied to Afro-Colombian heritage.
9. Benavides – Old Spanish surname refreshed in Colombia, linked with modern political families.
10. Borja – Noble Spanish surname that has gained modern prestige in Colombian society.
11. Burbano – Popular in southern Colombia, evolving into a contemporary family name.
12. Cabra – Means “goat,” but considered modern due to its uniqueness in cities.
13. Camelo – Distinct surname found in the Caribbean, gaining modern recognition.
14. Cárdenoza – Modern variant of older Spanish surnames, unique in Colombia’s cities.
15. Castrillón – Antioquian surname, popular among younger professional families.
16. Del Valle – Meaning “of the valley,” elegant and modern in Bogotá and Cali.
17. Eslava – Old Iberian surname but trendy today in Colombia, tied to media and arts.
18. Fonseca – Surname with Portuguese origin, refreshed as modern in Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
19. Gallo – Meaning “rooster,” revitalized as a proud Colombian family name.
20. Guerrero – Means “warrior,” modern in its strong association with resilience.
21. Linares – Modernized Spanish surname tied to families in central Colombia.
22. Manrique – Noble Spanish surname re-emerging in Colombia as contemporary.
23. Mendoza – Meaning “cold mountain,” widely seen as elegant and modern.
24. Restrepo – Antioquian surname, very common in Colombia today, often considered modern.
25. Valencia – From the Spanish city, now one of the most stylish modern surnames in Colombia.

trendy Colombian last names

1. Acevedo-López – A fashionable hyphenated surname, combining tradition with a modern urban touch.
2. Aldana – Elegant surname of Galician origin, increasingly popular among younger generations.
3. Altamirano – Meaning “high lookout,” trendy due to its strong and stylish sound.
4. Ardón – Short and distinctive, now trendy among creative and professional families.
5. Arteaga – Basque surname meaning “place of oaks,” admired for its chic, modern flair.
6. Atuesta – Rare surname gaining popularity in Bogotá and Medellín’s younger circles.
7. Balaguera – Stylish surname of Spanish origin, becoming trendy in Colombia’s cities.
8. Barajas – Surname linked to a famous Spanish town, trendy for its catchy sound.
9. Barrera – Means “barrier” or “fence,” modern and widely adopted in Colombia’s urban centers.
10. Benítez – Meaning “son of Benito,” a surname that has gained trendiness in Colombian pop culture.
11. Bohórquez-Salazar – Double-barrel surname seen as fashionable in academic and artistic communities.
12. Cadavid – Distinctive Antioquian surname, trendy among business families.
13. Campuzano – Originating in Spain, it has become popular and fashionable in Cali and Medellín.
14. Cañas – Meaning “reeds” or “sugarcane,” trendy in Colombia for its simplicity and connection to nature.
15. Del Mar – Meaning “of the sea,” modern and trendy in coastal regions of Colombia.
16. Durango – Derived from a Basque town, now trendy in Colombian cultural spaces.
17. Escudero – Means “squire,” stylish surname associated with pride and history.
18. Fierro – Meaning “iron,” increasingly trendy due to its strong and bold meaning.
19. Galvis – Unique surname in Santander, gaining trendiness for its refined pronunciation.
20. Herrán – Chic surname of Basque origin, trendy in Bogotá among younger professionals.
21. Lagos – Means “lakes,” modern, short, and trendy in Colombia’s cities.
22. Lucumí – Afro-Colombian surname with cultural strength, trendy for its identity and heritage.
23. Mondragón – Strong-sounding Basque surname, popular in Colombia’s sports and media circles.
24. Palacios – Meaning “palaces,” trendy for its elegance and modern usage.
25. Téllez – Medieval surname meaning “son of Tello,” now trendy in urban Colombian families.

conclusion

Colombian last names are more than just identifiers; they are living connections to history, culture, and family roots. From the surnames that trace back to ancient settlers to those that have evolved into modern and trendy choices, each name carries its own meaning and story.

Whether rare, beautiful, or widely recognized, these names reflect the rich diversity of Colombia and the pride families hold in their heritage. Exploring them offers a deeper appreciation of the traditions that continue to shape Colombian identity today.

FAQs