This list includes 21 Spanish last names that start with Y, from “Yagüe” to “Yépez”. These surnames range from common, country-wide names to regional or historical forms useful for genealogy and character naming.
Spanish last names that start with Y are family names found across Spain and Latin America, often carrying regional or linguistic clues. For example, “Yagüe” appears in Spain while “Yépez” is common in parts of South America.
Below you’ll find the table with Surname, Meaning/Origin, and Notable people.
Surname: This column lists each last name so you can scan spellings, diacritics, and alphabetical order at a glance.
Meaning/Origin: Shows a concise meaning or origin note so you can quickly assess linguistic roots or regional associations for each surname.
Notable people: Provides one or two notable bearers with brief identifiers so you can link names to historical or contemporary figures.
Spanish last names that start with Y
| Surname | Meaning/Origin | Region/Country | Variants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yagüe | Basque/toponymic origin | Spain (Castile, Basque) | Yague |
| Yáñez | Patronymic “son of Juan” | Spain, Latin America | Yanez, Yañez |
| Yanguas | Toponymic from village Yanguas (Soria) | Spain, Argentina | none common |
| Yarza | Basque toponymic origin | Spain, Latin America | Iarza (archaic) |
| Ybarra | Basque “valley” (from Ibarra) | Spain, Mexico, Argentina | Ibarra |
| Ybáñez | Archaic spelling of Ibáñez (patronymic) | Spain, Latin America, Philippines | Ibáñez, Ybanez |
| Ycaza | Basque toponymic (house/place) | Ecuador, Panama, Spain | Icaza |
| Yebra | Toponymic (from the town Yebra) | Spain | none common |
| Yepes | Toponymic (from Yepes, Toledo) | Spain, Colombia | none common |
| Yépez | Likely Hispanicized/Basque-influenced | Ecuador, Peru | Yepez |
| Yglesias | Orthographic variant of Iglesias (“churches”) | Cuba, USA, Spain | Iglesias |
| Yoldi | Basque origin | Spain (Basque Country) | none common |
| Yrigoyen | Basque toponymic (variant of Irigoyen) | Argentina, Uruguay | Irigoyen |
| Yturbe | Variant of Iturbe (Basque “place of springs”) | Spain, Mexico | Iturbe |
| Yubero | Possibly toponymic/Basque-influenced | Spain (Castile, Navarra) | none common |
| Yunda | Likely indigenous/Hispanicized origin; regional | Ecuador | none common |
| Yuste | Toponymic (from Monastery/Place of Yuste) | Spain (Extremadura) | none common |
| Yurrita | Basque origin | Spain, Latin America | Urrita (variant) |
| Yzaguirre | Basque toponymic (Y- orthography of Izaguirre) | Spain, Latin America | Izaguirre |
| Yzaga | Variant of Izaga (Basque toponymic) | Peru, Spain | Izaga |
| Yzquierdo | Archaic Y-spelling of Izquierdo (“left”) | Spain, Latin America | Izquierdo |
Descriptions
Yagüe
Found in Spain; Juan Yagüe (1891–1952), Spanish general; associated with 20th-century military history and Francoist era.
Yáñez
Widespread in Spain and the Americas; Agustín Yáñez (1904–1980), Mexican novelist and politician; common patronymic surname.
Yanguas
Historic Castilian surname from Soria/La Rioja; uncommon outside Spain and Hispanic diaspora.
Yarza
Basque surname present in northern Spain and the Americas; moderate frequency with Basque cultural roots.
Ybarra
Common Basque surname across Spain and diaspora; frequent among Basque-descended families in Latin America.
Ybáñez
Older orthography of Ibáñez still found in records and families; less common today but attested in colonial-era documents.
Ycaza
Seen especially in Ecuador and Panama; variant Icaza also well attested in Ecuadorian literary and civic history.
Yebra
Locational surname from central Spain (Guadalajara/Toledo); uncommon, tied to specific localities.
Yepes
Toponymic surname in Spain and popular in Colombia; Mario Yepes (1976), Colombian footballer and national team captain.
Yépez
Frequent in Andean countries, notably Ecuador and Peru; regional spelling variants and broad local presence.
Yglesias
Historic Y-spelling used by Cuban-American writers José Yglesias (1919–1995) and Rafael Yglesias (born 1954); literary associations.
Yoldi
Basque surname concentrated in northern Spain; appears in regional records and cultural circles.
Yrigoyen
Prominent in Argentina; Hipólito Yrigoyen (1852–1933), two-time president and key figure in early 20th-century politics.
Yturbe
Found in Spain and Mexico; Basque-rooted toponymic surname appearing in colonial and modern records.
Yubero
Regional Spanish surname with presence in central and northern provinces; relatively uncommon.
Yunda
Ecuadorian surname with political visibility; Jorge Yunda (born 1965), physician and former mayor of Quito.
Yuste
Toponymic surname tied to Extremadura; historically notable due to the Monastery of Yuste and regional families.
Yurrita
Basque surname occurring in northern Spain and diaspora; occasionally appears with U/UY orthographic shifts.
Yzaguirre
Basque-family name often preserved with Y in older orthography; present among Spanish and Latin American lineages.
Yzaga
Less common variant used in Peru and some colonial records; Basque-origin toponymic surname.
Yzquierdo
Historic orthographic variant found in old registries and some family branches; reflects older Spanish spelling traditions.