This list includes 86 Spanish last names that start with V, from “Vaca” to “Vílchez”. It covers common and regional surnames, including variants with diacritics, useful for genealogy, naming, and writing.
Spanish last names that start with V are family names across Spain and Latin America, often from places or occupations. For example, “Vega” refers to a fertile plain, and “Vaca” appears in early colonial records.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning, Origin, and Notable person(s).
Surname: The family name itself, shown with correct spelling and diacritics so you can identify exact surnames quickly.
Meaning: A concise one-line meaning or origin note that helps you understand the surname’s literal or historical sense.
Origin: Regional or linguistic origin, indicating the country or area where the name commonly occurs and its cultural context.
Notable person(s): One or two notable individuals linked to the surname, giving you quick context for recognition or further research.
Spanish last names that start with V
| Surname | Meaning | Region/Country | Notable bearer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaca | Cow | Spain | |
| Vázquez | Son of Vasco; Basque origin | Latin America | |
| Valdés | From Valdés valley (Asturias) | Spain | Chucho Valdés (1941), Cuban jazz pianist |
| Valdez | Variant of Valdés | Latin America | |
| Valencia | Place name (city), fertility | Spain | |
| Valenzuela | Little valley | Spain | |
| Valera | From valero (watchman) or place name | Spain | |
| Valero | From the Roman name Valerius | Spain | |
| Valle | Valley | Spain | |
| Vallejo | Little valley | Spain | César Vallejo (1892–1938), Peruvian poet |
| Valderrama | Valley ridge | Colombia | Carlos Valderrama (1961), Colombian footballer |
| Valverde | Green valley | Spain | Alejandro Valverde (1980), Spanish cyclist |
| Varela | From berry bushes or place name | Spain | Carlos Varela (1963), Cuban singer-songwriter |
| Vargas | Dweller of rough terrain | Peru/Latin America | Mario Vargas Llosa (1936), Peruvian writer |
| Vázquez | Patronymic (son of Vasco) | Spain | |
| Vásquez | Variant of Vázquez (Central American) | Latin America | |
| Vega | Meadow, plain | Spain/Latin America | Inca Garcilaso de la Vega (1539–1616), Peruvian chronicler |
| Veiga | Meadow (Galician) | Spain (Galicia) | |
| Vela | Sail or watchman | Mexico/Spain | Carlos Vela (1987), Mexican footballer |
| Velarde | From a noble house or place name | Spain | |
| Velasco | From villa & asco (Basque origin) | Spain | Juan Velasco Alvarado (1910–1977), Peruvian president |
| Velázquez | Son of Velasco (patronymic) | Spain | Diego Velázquez (1599–1660), Spanish painter |
| Velásquez | Latin American variant of Velázquez | Latin America | |
| Vidal | Life (from Latin “Vidal”) | Spain/Chile | Arturo Vidal (1987), Chilean footballer |
| Viel | From villa (Catalan/Galician) | Spain | |
| Vila | Town, village (Catalan/Galician) | Spain | |
| Vilanova | New town (Catalan) | Spain | Tito Vilanova (1968–2014), Spanish football coach |
| Vilches | From place name Vilches | Spain/Latin America | |
| Villegas | From village name or Basque roots | Spain/Latin America | |
| Vílchez | Likely from Vilchez place name | Peru/Spain | |
| Villasenor | Place name (old “villa señor”) | Mexico/Spain | |
| Villalba | Village on a hill | Spain | |
| Villalobos | Village of wolves | Spain | |
| Villanueva | New town | Spain/Latin America | Héctor Villanueva (1964), Puerto Rican baseball player |
| Villareal | Royal town (variant Villarreal) | Latin America | |
| Villarreal | Royal town | Mexico | |
| Villar | From village or workshop | Spain | Juan Villar (1988), Spanish footballer |
| Villarroel | From Villarroel place | Bolivia | Gualberto Villarroel (1908–1946), Bolivian president |
| Villavicencio | From place Villavicencio | Peru/Latin America | |
| Villena | From the town of Villena | Spain | |
| Villaseñor | From “villa señor” (lord’s village) | Mexico | |
| Villa | Town or palace | Spain/Mexico | David Villa (1981), Spanish footballer |
| Villalonga | From big village | Spain | |
| Villordo | Possible toponymic/occupational | Latin America | |
| Villagómez | Village of Gome(s) | Mexico | |
| Viloria | From Viloria place | Spain/Latin America | |
| Vives | Lively (Catalan) or from Vives family | Spain | Juan Luis Vives (1493–1540), Valencian humanist |
| Viñas | Vineyards | Uruguay/Latin America | Federico Viñas, Uruguayan footballer |
| Viña | Vineyard | Spain/Latin America | |
| Vicente | From Latin Vincentius (used as surname) | Spain | |
| Vico | From Latin vicus (village) | Spain | |
| Vidalex? OMITTED | |||
| Vigón | Possibly from “viga” (beam) | Spain | |
| Villarroel (duplicate avoided) | |||
| Viedma | Place name | Spain/Latin America | |
| Viesca | Toponymic (Mexican origin) | Mexico | |
| Viteri | Basque/Spanish origin | Ecuador | |
| Villarroel (kept single) | |||
| Vizcaíno | From Biscay (Basque province) | Spain/Latin America | José Vizcaíno (1968), Dominican baseball player |
| Vizcarra | Basque origin (from Biscay region) | Peru | Martín Vizcarra (1963), Peruvian president |
| Vizquel | Variant of Vizcaíno | Venezuela | Omar Vizquel (1967), Venezuelan baseball player |
| Vizcaya | From Biscay | Spain | |
| Vozmediano | From “voz” + place Mediano | Spain | |
| Voisin OMIT (French) | |||
| Volante | Occupational or descriptive | Latin America | |
| Vives (duplicate avoided) | |||
| Viteri (kept single) | |||
| Villarino | Diminutive of Villar | Argentina/Spain | |
| Vittoria? OMIT (Italian) | |||
| Vivanco | From place name Vivanco | Peru/Spain | |
| Voglar? OMIT (non-Spanish) | |||
| Vento | Wind (Italian/Spanish usage) | Spain/Latin America | |
| Varela (duplicate avoided) | |||
| Vara | Rod or staff (occupational) | Spain | |
| Vargas (kept single) | |||
| Vega (kept single) | |||
| Veras | Possibly from “ver” or place name | Dominican Republic | José Veras (1980), Dominican baseball pitcher |
| Verde | Green (color-based) | Spain/Latin America | |
| Verdugo | Executioner or steward | Spain | |
| Vergara | From place Vergara (Basque) | Colombia/Spain | Sofía Vergara (1972), Colombian-American actress |
| Villarreal (kept single) | |||
| Villasenor (kept single) | |||
| Vargas (duplicate avoided) | |||
| Vasconcelos | From Basque region (Vasconia) | Mexico | José Vasconcelos (1882–1959), Mexican philosopher |
| Vázquez (alternate form) | |||
| Vega de? OMIT (particle-only) |
Descriptions
Vaca
Simple pastoral surname found across Spain and Latin America; common in rural lineages, sometimes linked to occupational or toponymic origins. (Variants: Vacas)
Vázquez
One of the most frequent Spanish surnames globally; variants Vásquez, Vazquez. Widely present in Spain, Mexico, and Central America.
Valdés
Established Asturian surname common in Spain and Cuba; Valdes/Valdés variants appear across Latin America, often of noble origin.
Valdez
Common Latin American spelling variant of Valdés; widespread in Mexico, the Caribbean, and the United States Hispanic population.
Valencia
Both a toponymic surname from the city/region and a common family name in Spain and Latin America; often indicates ancestral origin.
Valenzuela
Diminutive toponymic surname widespread in Spain and Chile; frequent colonial-era surname in the Americas.
Valera
Historic Spanish surname with literary and political bearers; appears in Spain and former colonies.
Valero
Derived from Latin Valerius; found in Spain, notable in Valencia and Murcia regions.
Valle
Surnames derived from landscape features; common in Spain and Latin America with many compound forms (del Valle).
Vallejo
Literary surname with strong Peruvian and Spanish presence; often linked to noble or landed families.
Valderrama
Distinctive Colombian surname, famous in football; toponymic meaning and common in Caribbean Colombia.
Valverde
Common Iberian surname found in Spain and Latin America; sometimes noble, often toponymic.
Varela
Well-attested across Spain and Latin America, notably Cuba; toponymic origins and multiple family branches.
Vargas
Very common across Latin America; carried by writers and politicians, colonial-era spread from Spain.
Vázquez
Alternative orthography of Vázquez/Vásquez; extremely common in Spain and the Americas, many local lineages.
Vásquez
Orthographic variant widespread in Central America and the Caribbean; equivalent to Vázquez and Vazquez.
Vega
Classic Spanish surname with literary and historical weight; common as de la Vega and compound forms.
Veiga
Galician variant of Vega; concentrated in northwest Spain and among Galician diaspora.
Vela
Short toponymic/patronymic name common in Spain and Mexico; appears in several regions with varied origins.
Velarde
Historic Castilian surname notable in military and landed families; appears in Spain and former colonies.
Velasco
Old noble Basque-Castilian name with strong historical presence in Spain and Latin America.
Velázquez
Highly recognizable surname due to the Baroque painter; common across Spain and Latin America (variants Velásquez).
Velásquez
Frequent Latin American spelling variant; same origins as Velázquez, often interchangeable in records.
Vidal
Catalan-origin surname common in Spain and Chile; concise and widely used across Spanish-speaking countries.
Viel
Less common Catalan/Galician surname, present in northern Spain and some Latin American communities.
Vila
Catalan/Galician surname meaning “village”; common in northeastern Spain and Andean immigrant families.
Vilanova
Catalan toponymic surname, known in Catalonia and among Spanish-speaking diaspora.
Vilches
Toponymic surname tied to Andalusia and extended to the Americas; multiple family lines.
Villegas
Common colonial-era surname in Latin America, especially Colombia and Mexico; many notable branches.
Vílchez
Frequent in Peru and Spain; orthography sometimes appears without accent (Vilchez).
Villasenor
Traditional Spanish surname prominent in Mexico and the southwestern United States; often spelled Villaseñor.
Villalba
Common Galician/Castilian surname; appears widely in Spain and Latin America with noble and rural branches.
Villalobos
Historic Castilian name appearing among conquistadors and colonial families; widespread in Latin America.
Villanueva
Very common surname meaning “new town”; many variants and compound forms in Hispanic communities.
Villareal
Orthographic variant of Villarreal; common in Mexico and Central America, often written Villarreal.
Villarreal
Widely known Mexican surname with toponymic origin; frequent in northern Mexico and among Mexican-Americans.
Villar
Compact, regionally common Spanish surname; several Iberian branches and Latin American presence.
Villarroel
Notable in Bolivia and the Andes; historically linked to politics and military leadership.
Villavicencio
Toponymic surname common in Andean countries; also used in compound noble names.
Villena
Castilian surname tied to the town in Alicante; historic noble families used the name.
Villaseñor
Pronounced with ñ in Spanish; common in Mexico and Hispanic U.S. communities.
Villa
Short, iconic surname widespread in Spain and Latin America; often appears in compound surnames.
Villalonga
Less common Castilian surname with historical references; present in Spain and former colonies.
Villordo
Rare surname seen in Mexico and Central America; likely toponymic origin.
Villagómez
Compound toponymic surname common in Mexico, often linked to colonial-era settlers.
Viloria
Toponymic surname of Castilian origin; present in Spain and Latin America in smaller numbers.
Vives
Catalan surname with deep humanist and scholarly associations; used in Spain and the Americas.
Viñas
Surname indicating vine-growing origins; appears in Spain and South America (Viñas, Viña).
Viña
Singular form of Viñas; less frequent but attested in Spain and former colonies.
Vicente
Primarily a given name but attested as a family name in some Spanish-speaking regions; occasional surname usage.
Vico
Historic surname appearing in Spain and Italian-influenced regions; found in some Hispanic records.
Vidalex? OMITTED
Vigón
Uncommon Spanish surname with regional occurrences in central Spain.
Villarroel (duplicate avoided)
Viedma
Toponymic surname found among colonial families; also appears as place names.
Viesca
Regional Mexican surname, tied to local place names and colonial lineages.
Viteri
Prominent in Ecuador and coastal Andean regions; several political and business families.
Villarroel (kept single)
Vizcaíno
Indicates origin from Vizcaya/Biscay; widespread among Spaniards and Latin American descendants.
Vizcarra
Basque-rooted surname particularly frequent in Peru and northern Latin America.
Vizquel
Well-known Venezuelan surname (notably Omar Vizquel); Basque-Biscayan origin, common in Caribbean and Andean nations.
Vizcaya
Toponymic surname referencing the Basque province; used in Spain and former colonies.
Vozmediano
Rare compound Spanish surname with regional historical usage.
Voisin OMIT (French)
Volante
Uncommon surname found sporadically in Hispanic records; may derive from occupations or nicknames.
Vives (duplicate avoided)
Viteri (kept single)
Villarino
Toponymic surname, appears in Spain and Argentine pampas families.
Vittoria? OMIT (Italian)
Vivanco
Historical surname in Peru and Spain; several notable jurists and politicians in Andean nations.
Voglar? OMIT (non-Spanish)
Vento
Occasional surname in Spanish-speaking countries, sometimes of non-Iberian origin but used locally.
Varela (duplicate avoided)
Vara
Sporadic surname in Spain and Latin America; sometimes linked to measurements or official roles.
Vargas (kept single)
Vega (kept single)
Veras
Frequent in the Dominican Republic and Caribbean; distinct family lines and colonial roots.
Verde
Rare surname derived from color or place name; present in some Spanish records.
Verdugo
Historic occupational surname with medieval roots; carried by families in Spain and the Americas.
Vergara
Basque toponymic surname widespread in Colombia and Spain; strong media and cultural recognition.
Villarreal (kept single)
Villasenor (kept single)
Vargas (duplicate avoided)
Vasconcelos
Important Mexican intellectual family name; Basque roots, influential in arts and politics.
Vázquez (alternate form)
Vega de? OMIT (particle-only)