This list includes 24 Spanish last names that start with Z, from “Zabaleta” to “Zúñiga”. Many are toponymic or Basque in origin and range from widespread names to regionally specific ones. Use this list for genealogy, character naming, and general research into family names.
Spanish last names that start with Z are family names from Spanish-speaking cultures that begin with the letter Z. Many derive from place names, occupations, or Basque roots—”Zúñiga” is a notable noble surname with medieval origins.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning/Origin, and Notable people.
Surname: The actual family name as commonly spelled, including diacritics and variants, so you can locate exact entries.
Meaning/Origin: A concise one-line meaning or origin note helps you understand geographic or linguistic roots at a glance.
Notable people: One or two well-known individuals with the surname give context and help you link names to history or culture.
Spanish last names that start with Z
| Surname | Primary country | Meaning / Origin | Notable person(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zapata | Mexico, Spain | occupational; from ‘zapato’ (shoe) | Emiliano Zapata (1879–1919), Mexican revolutionary |
| Zapatero | Spain | occupational ‘shoemaker’ | José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (b.1960), Spanish prime minister |
| Zaragoza | Spain, Mexico | from the city of Zaragoza | Ignacio Zaragoza (1829–1862), Mexican general |
| Zamora | Spain, Mexico | from the city/region of Zamora | Pedro Zamora (1972–1994), Cuban-American AIDS educator |
| Zárate | Spain, Argentina | Basque toponym (‘small grove’ or enclosure) | Carlos Zárate (b.1951), Mexican boxer |
| Zúñiga | Spain, Mexico | Basque toponymic noble family | Francisco Zúñiga (1912–1998), sculptor |
| Zubizarreta | Spain | Basque toponymic | Andoni Zubizarreta (b.1961), Spanish goalkeeper |
| Zuloaga | Spain | Basque toponymic | Ignacio Zuloaga (1870–1945), Spanish painter |
| Zambrano | Spain, Latin America | from place name Zambrana | María Zambrano (1904–1991), Spanish philosopher |
| Zorrilla | Spain | diminutive from ‘zorro’ (fox) | José Zorrilla (1817–1893), Spanish poet |
| Zamorano | Chile, Spain | variant meaning ‘from Zamora’ | Iván Zamorano (b.1967), Chilean footballer |
| Zelaya | Honduras, Nicaragua | Basque ‘zelai’ meaning ‘field’ | Manuel Zelaya (b.1952), Honduran president |
| Zeballos | Argentina, Uruguay | Basque toponymic origin | Horacio Zeballos (b.1985), Argentine tennis player |
| Zanetti | Argentina, Spain | Italian origin, used in Hispanic contexts | Javier Zanetti (b.1973), Argentine footballer |
| Zendejas | Mexico, USA | likely Basque or Hispano-American adaptation | Tony Zendejas (b.1960), American football kicker; Max Zendejas (b.1963), kicker |
| Zabaleta | Spain, Argentina | Basque toponymic | Pablo Zabaleta (b.1985), Argentine footballer |
| Zayas | Spain, Cuba | historic Castilian/Basque noble family name | María de Zayas y Sotomayor (c.1590–1661), writer |
| Zavala | Mexico, Spain | Basque toponymic ‘broad valley’ | Margarita Zavala (b.1967), Mexican politician |
| Zumárraga | Spain, Mexico | Basque place-name | Juan de Zumárraga (c.1468–1548), first bishop of Mexico |
| Zurita | Spain, Mexico | Basque toponymic or ‘white place’ | Carlos Zurita (b.1943), Spanish physician |
| Zubía | Uruguay, Spain | Basque ‘zubi’ (bridge) origin | Óscar Zubía (b.1946), Uruguayan footballer |
| Zubeldía | Argentina, Spain | Basque toponymic | Osvaldo Zubeldía (1927–1982), Argentine football manager |
| Zubieta | Spain | Basque toponymic | José Zubieta (b.1970), Spanish musician |
| Zazueta | Mexico, USA | Basque-derived toponymic adapted in Spanish | Enrique Zazueta (b.1955), Mexican businessman |
Descriptions
Zapata
Very common in Mexico and parts of Spain; occupational or toponymic origins, many regional branches across Spanish America.
Zapatero
Classic occupational surname in Spain, recorded since medieval times; occasionally found in Latin America.
Zaragoza
Toponymic surname tied to Aragon; appears in Spain, Mexico, and the Philippines from colonial-era migration.
Zamora
Widespread toponymic surname; common in Spain and former colonies with many local lineages and variants.
Zárate
Basque-origin surname frequent in Spain and Latin America; multiple spelling variants and family branches.
Zúñiga
Historic Navarrese/Basque noble name; well-represented in Spain and the Americas with many descendants.
Zubizarreta
Distinctly Basque surname; notable in northern Spain and recognized internationally through sports figures.
Zuloaga
Basque-origin family with cultural prominence; appears in Spanish artistic and public life.
Zambrano
Habitational surname found across Spanish-speaking countries; several literary and political figures bear it.
Zorrilla
Traditional Castilian surname with strong literary associations; regional concentration in central Spain.
Zamorano
Derived from Zamora with ‘-ano’ suffix; common in Latin America, especially Chile and Central America.
Zelaya
Frequent in Central America; Basque-rooted toponymic surname, politically prominent in the region.
Zeballos
Found mainly in the Río de la Plata; Basque origin with Spanish colonial dispersion.
Zanetti
Originally Italian but widely adopted in Spanish-speaking Argentina and Uruguay; illustrates migration-era surname mixing.
Zendejas
Prominent in Mexican and Mexican-American communities, especially notable among professional athletes.
Zabaleta
Common Basque surname that spread to Latin America; frequent in Argentina and Chile.
Zayas
Old Castilian noble surname with notable literary figures; present in Spain and the Caribbean.
Zavala
Common in Mexico; Basque roots with many political and cultural bearers across Latin America.
Zumárraga
Early colonial-era Basque surname; important in ecclesiastical and administrative history of New Spain.
Zurita
Found in Spain and Latin America; several contemporary cultural and medical figures.
Zubía
Variant spellings Zubia/Zubía; appears in Basque communities and the Río de la Plata.
Zubeldía
Known in Argentine football history; typical Basque-derived surname in Spanish-speaking contexts.
Zubieta
Found in Basque Country and among Spanish emigrant families; habitational origin.
Zazueta
Common in northwestern Mexico and Mexican-American communities; reflects Basque-Spanish surname patterns.