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    • Main contributor: Camila Vidoni

    Argentinian surnames, also called Argentine surnames, are those carried by people born in Argentina as well as those in the Argentinian diaspora in Spain, the United States and other countries of South America. Due to the large-scale immigration to Argentina, primarily from Italy and Spain but also from Eastern and Central Europe, the Middle East, France, and the British Isles, as well as local native roots, Argentinian surnames are among the most varied in Latin America.

    History of Argentinian surnamesHistory of Argentinian surnames

    Spanish colonialism is largely responsible for the history of Argentinian surnames, with Spanish-derived family names—such as patronymic names like González and Rodríguez—dominant. However, Argentina's rich and varied surname landscape has also been affected by the heritage of Indigenous communities and substantial European immigration, particularly from Italy, which has left behind names like Rossi and Canchaya. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, large waves of Italian immigrants entered, greatly adding to the diversity of surnames and cultural composition, to the point that around two-thirds of the Argentinians have some Italian ancestry,[1] which causes Italian surnames to be very common in the country, from Sicilian and Neapolitan to Ligurian and Venetian.

    Argentinian surnames naming conventionsArgentinian surnames naming conventions

    Tombs at the Jewish Cemetery of Basavilbaso.
    Tombs at the Jewish Cemetery of Basavilbaso.

    Like in most of the Western World, Argentinian naming customs usually entail a person's initial name and father's last name. Nonetheless, because of the strong Spanish influence, it is typical to use both the mother's and father's last names, particularly in more traditional households, with the father's last name typically appearing first. Although it is less popular these days, married women may add their husband's last name with the preposition "de" (of) to indicate marriage, although they usually retain their maiden name; in daily life, people may just use their first given name and their father's surname, even though legal documents frequently display both surnames.

    Because non-Hispanic names were traditionally discouraged by Spanish law, some families changed or shortened their last names to adapt to Spanish spelling customs, with Piccolo becoming Chico, Menehem becoming Menem, Cecchini becoming Chequini, Ardenghi becoming Ardengui and Berkonsky becoming Berco, for example.[2] Argentinian parents have been able to choose which surname appears first for their child since 2015,[3] and this order is followed for all subsequent children.

    Types of Argentinian surnamesTypes of Argentinian surnames

    Spanish and Italian ancestry are the main sources of Argentinian surnames. Spanish surnames, such as García and Rodríguez, are prevalent because of colonial history, while many Italian-derived names were added by Italian immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. German ancestry is another uncommon origin, and Spanish priests also gave certain Native American surnames to baptized children.

    Argentinian surnames of patronymic originArgentinian surnames of patronymic origin

    Tomb of Jorge Newbery. Chacarita Cemetery, Buenos Aires.
    Tomb of Jorge Newbery. Chacarita Cemetery, Buenos Aires.

    These surnames derive from first names of ancestors, common across European-origin populations:

    Argentinian surnames of toponymic originArgentinian surnames of toponymic origin

    Grave of Jorge (Yurii) Polanski. Ukrainian Cemetery, Buenos Aires.
    Grave of Jorge (Yurii) Polanski. Ukrainian Cemetery, Buenos Aires.

    Many immigrants took surnames from their places of origin, or had them imposed on arrival:

    Argentinian surnames of occupational originArgentinian surnames of occupational origin

    Plaque at the tomb of Benito Freyre. La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires.
    Plaque at the tomb of Benito Freyre. La Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires.

    Immigrants often brought traditional European surnames reflecting professions:

    Argentinian surnames of descriptive originArgentinian surnames of descriptive origin

    These are based on physical traits, personality, or status:

    • Moreno – “dark-skinned” or “brunette”
    • Rubio – “blond”
    • Bravo – “brave”
    • Calvo – “bald”
    • Fortuna – “fortunate”
    • Piccolo – “small” (Italian)
    • Blanco – “white” or “fair-skinned”
    • Tierno – “gentle” or “tender”

    Argentinian surnames of indigenous originArgentinian surnames of indigenous origin

    During Spanish colonization, many indigenous people adopted or were assigned Spanish names, while others used indigenous words as surnames, particularly if they maintained their language and traditions. These are much less common due to assimilation and erasure, but some have survived and are more common in the northern provinces as well as in the Argentinian part of Patagonia. In some cases, some indigenous surnames were "hispanicized" or adapted into Western-sounding forms, such as Quispe becoming Gisbert.

    • Nahuel – Mapuche for “big cat”, usually referring to a a jaguar or rather a puma. Also used as a given name
    • Quispe – Quechua surname found among migrants from Bolivia and Peru, meaning "jewel"
    • Mamani – of Aymara origin, meaning "falcon"
    • Catriel – Indigenous chief’s name turned surname
    • Curaqueo – of Mapuche origin, meaning "unwavering speech"
    • Calfucurá – of Mapuche origin, meaning "blue stone"
    • Choque – of Aymara origin, meaning "gold"

    Most common Argentinian surnamesMost common Argentinian surnames

    Celebrities with Argentinian surnamesCelebrities with Argentinian surnames

    Gabriela Sabatini
    Gabriela Sabatini.
    • Jorge Luis Borges - Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator regarded as a key figure in Spanish-language and international literature
    • Lionel Messi - Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, Messi has set numerous records for individual accolades won throughout his professional footballing career, including eight Ballons d'Or, six European Golden Shoes, and eight times being named the world's best player by FIFA.
    • Gabriela Sabatini - Argentine former professional tennis player. A former world No. 3 in both singles and doubles, Sabatini was one of the leading players from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, amassing 41 titles across both disciplines.
    • Hipólito Yrigoyen - rgentine politician of the Radical Civic Union who served as President of Argentina from 1916 to 1922 and again from 1928 until his overthrow in 1930. He was the first president elected democratically by means of the secret and mandatory male suffrage established by the Sáenz Peña Law of 1912.
    • Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti - Queen of the Netherlands as the wife of King Willem-Alexander.
    • Rodolfo "Fito" Páez - Argentine Latin rock musician and filmmaker. A former member of the Trova Rosarina, he is dubbed the "Troubadour of Argentine rock" and is considered an important figure in the genre and in Latin music
    • Gustavo Adrián Cerati Clarke - Argentine musician and singer-songwriter who gained international recognition for being the leader, vocalist, composer, and guitarist of the rock band Soda Stereo. He is widely considered by critics, specialized press, and musicians as one of the most important and influential artists of Latin rock
    • Ladislao José Biro, born László Bíró - rgentinian, Hungary-born jewish inventor who patented the first commercially successful modern ballpoint pen.
    • Margarita Oelsner - the first female rabbi ordained in Latin America

    See alsoSee also

    Explore more about Argentinian surnamesExplore more about Argentinian surnames

    References

    1. ↑ What is the Connection Between Italy and Argentina? Puerto La Boca
    2. ↑ Apellidos italianos y sus deformaciones en Argentina. Ancestros italianos.
    3. ↑ Anotar a un recién nacido: qué nombres están prohibidos por ley y cómo se define el apellido. Clarín
    4. ↑ Cuáles son los apellidos más comunes en Argentina. Ámbito


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    APA citation (7th Ed.)

    Camila Vidoni. (2025, August 31). *Argentinian surnames*. MyHeritage Wiki. https://www.myheritage.com/wiki/Argentinian_surnames