120 Common Filipino Last Names or Surnames

Inhabitants of the Philippines began to adopt surnames during the 16th century, at the time of Spanish colonisation. Filipinos began using their native names along with the Christian names that were assigned by the Catholic Church, and subsequently, the government standardised their naming practices. Most of the people in the Philippines have surnames with Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, and mixed American roots. You may find the rare surnames of Tagalog and other regions as well. This post has 100 Filipino last names for those who are searching for some to familiarise themselves with their meanings. Trust us; these Philippines last names might just impress you!

Most Common Filipino Surnames or Family Names With Meanings

Filipino surnames have Spanish, Chinese or Arabic origins, often be combinations of American and Spanish customs, and even be derived from native Filipino languages. From popular Filipino last names to rare surnames, we tried to cover all. Here is a list of 120 Filipino last names with varied origins and meanings:

1. Abe

Derived from the Hebrew language and short for ‘Abraham’, it commonly refers to ‘a father of many’.

2. Abad

The surname Abad is of Spanish origin; it means ‘everlasting’ or ‘eternal’.

3. Abadiano

A very common last name in the Philippines, Abadiano is a village in Biscay, Spain.

4. Abalos

One of the common Filipino last names, Abalos is a habitational name which refers to a place in the Soria province.

5. Abel

A famous Biblical name, Abel means ‘breath’ or ‘vanity’.

6. Adlawan

Derived from the word Adlaw, Adlawan means ‘Sun’. It originates from Cebuano where it refers to ‘daytime’.

7. Aganad

This surname is derived from the Ilocano word agannad, which means ‘to take care’.

8. Agbayani

One of the traditional Filipino last names, Agbayani means ‘to be heroic’ in the Ilocano language. Its traditional usage is in Filipino, Tagalog, and Ilocano.

9. Aguinaldo

Of Latin origin, this surname was borne by the first President of the Philippines, Emilio Aguinaldo.

10. Alacantara

Referring to the municipality of Alacantara in Spain, this transliteration of the Arabic word al-qantara means ‘the bridge’.

11. Almazan

A common surname in the Philippines, Almazan is a habitational name referring to a municipality in Spain. It comes from the Arabic term al-makhzan, i.e., ‘the stronghold’.

12. Alonto

Commonly used in Maranao and Filipino, Alonto in Maranao means ‘extraordinary’.

13. Ambong

Originated from Filipino and Cebuano, Ambong refers to a type of hut where food grains are stored.

14. Avellino

A personal name of Spanish origin, it was the name of the 17th century Saint Andrea Avellino in Italy.

15. Baccay

Derived from Tagalog, this Filipino surname means ‘to guard’.

16. Bacolod

Referring to ‘hill’ or ‘mound’, this toponymic name refers to a person living in the Bacolod city of the Philippines.

17. Bacunawa

Originating from the Cebuano word bakunawa, this name is a reference to a kind of serpent or dragon in Visayan mythology.

18. Bagatsing

It is a Filipinised version of the Sanskrit words bhagat, meaning ‘devotee’, and simha, meaning ‘lion’.

19. Baguinda

This Filipino surname is honorific of the prince Rajah Baguinda Ali, the ruler of the Sulu Archipelago.

20. Balaguer

Referring to persons hailing from the Balaguer city of Spain, this last name has Arabic origins.

21. Balindong

Maranao for ‘philosopher’, this surname is a title of nobility.

22. Baluyot

Meaning ‘bag’ or ‘pouch’, this surname originates from the Hiligaynon word baluyot.

23. Banaag

This last name is Hiligonyan for ‘gleam’, ‘daybreak’ or ‘reflection’.

24. Bangon

Maranao for ‘to rise’, this surname also means ‘a plot of land’.

25. Baquiran

One of the common Philippines surnames, Baquiran is derived from the Ilocano word bakiran, which means ‘forest’.

26. Basilio

Basilio is an eccentric Filipino last name meaning ‘royal’ or ‘kingly’.

27. Batabor

Derived from Maranao, this surname means ‘tea/coffee pot’ or a ‘green tube skirt’.

28. Batungbakal

Derived from two names, Bato, meaning ‘stone’ and Bakal, meaning ‘iron/steel’, this is a common Tagalog and Filipino surname.

29. Bautista

A Spanish word for Baptist, this surname refers to Saint John the Baptist.

30. Bayabao

Derived from the Maranao term Bayabaw, Bayabao is a habitational surname that refers to a traditional subdivision in the eastern regions of Lanao.

31. Belmonte

This surname has a very nice charm to it. Belmonte in Filipino means ‘beautiful mountain’. The famous Filipino poet Vito Belmonte is a great example of this last name bearer.

32. Bulalacao

Derived from the Tagalog word bulalakaw, it means ‘shooting star’ or ‘meteor’.

33. Bulan

The first name brought to England by the Norman Conquest, this Cebuano surname means ‘a moon’ or ‘a month’.

34. Cabahug

Derived from the Cebuano term bahog, meaning ‘feed’ or ‘slop’, this surname was originally used in 19th century Spain.

35. Cabello

Cabello means ‘hair’. Camilla Cabello is a popular pop singer bearing this surname.

36. Cagadas

Cagadas was the last name given to native Filipinos during conversion to Christianity.

37. Calinao

This surname is derived from the Cebuano word kalinaw, which means ‘clarity’ or ‘peace’.

38. Calumpang

Referring to persons from the Batangas river in the Philippines, this Tagalog derivative refers to the ‘wild almond tree’ as well.

39. Camama

Derived from the Maranao word kamama, this surname means ‘manly’ or ‘masculine’.

40. Canosa

One of the popular Philippines surnames, Canasa is derived from the Latin word Cana, which means ‘cave’ or ‘reed’.

41. Caringal

Derived from the Tagalog nickname ‘Dingal’, this last name refers to ‘very handsome’ or ‘very beautiful’.

42. Catacutan

A derivative of the Tagalog word katakutan, this surname means ‘fear’.

43. Catapang

Derived from the Tagalog word tapang, this Filipino surname refers to ‘courage’.

44. Cayabyab

Derived from the Tagalog word yabyab, it means ‘pounding of rice grains’.

45. Celda

This surname is of Spanish origin and means ‘prison cell’.

46. Celestial

Celestial comes from Old Latin, which refers to the sky or outer space. This Filipino surname means ‘heavenly’.

47. Chavez

A name borne by the famous labour leader Cesar Chavez is a popular surname among the Spanish and Portuguese as well.

48. Cruz

This surname is derived from the Spanish word cruz, meaning ‘cross’ and is spelt as krus in Tagalog.

49. Cuizon

It is derived from the Hokkien word kui sun, which means ‘precious grandchild’.

50. Dagohoy

Dagohoy, meaning ‘talisman’, is derived from the Cebuano phrase dagon sa huyuhoy.

51. Dalisay

A popular name originating from Tagalog and Cebuano, Dalisay means ‘chaste’ or ‘pure’.

52. Dasalan

Derived from the Tagalog word dasal, this last name means ‘a place of prayer’.

53. Datuimam

Used as a title by religious leaders, Datuimam is derived from the Maranao dato, and the Arabic imam, which mean ‘leader’.

54. Datumanong

A character in the Maranao epic poem Darangen, this name means ‘two-headed lizard’.

55. Datumolok

A combination of two Maranao words dato and molok, which means ‘leader’ and ‘own’ respectively, this surname is used as a noble title.

56. Davino

Davino is a common Filipino last name meaning ‘beloved’.

57. Dayanghirang

One of the unique Filipino family names, Dayanghirang is a combination of two Tagalog words dayang, meaning ‘lady’, and hirang, meaning ‘selection’.

58. Del Rosario

Of Spanish origin, Del Rosario means ‘of the rosary’.

59. Dilag

Derived from Tagalog, this surname refers to ‘splendour’, ‘beauty’ or ‘maiden’.

60. Dimaano

Coming from the Tagalog words di, meaning ‘no’, and maano, meaning ‘have something happen’, this name means ‘not touched’.

61. Dimaapi

Coming from Tagalog, this surname means ‘cannot be expressed’.

62. Dimabasa

Derived from the two Tagalog words di, meaning ‘not’, and basa, meaning ‘wet’. It means ‘dry’.

63. Dimacuha

Of Tagalog origin, this surname means ‘unobtainable.

64. Dimagiba

Derived from the Tagalog words di and giba, i.e. ‘not’ and ‘demolish’, respectively, this surname means ‘indestructible’.

65. Dimalanta

A combination of the Tagalog words di, meaning ‘not’ or ‘no’, and malanta, meaning ‘fade’ or ‘wither’. The surname means ‘cannot be withered’.

66. Dimaliwat

Tagalong for ‘firm’ or ‘stubborn’, this surname is a combination of the words di and liwat. It means ‘to transfer’.

67. Dimapilis

A combination of the Tagalog words di and pili, which mean ‘not’ and ‘contorted’, respectively, this traditional surname means ‘cannot be dissuaded’.

68. Divata

Referring to ancestral spirits that guide mortals, this surname is a Visayan word for ‘guardian’.

69. Duterte

It is derived from the French word du tertre, meaning ‘of the hillock’.

70. Ejercito

It is derived from the Spanish word ejército, meaning ‘army’.

71. Elyas

A common surname among the Filipino, Ethiopian and Malay population, it is derived from Elias, meaning ‘My God is Yahweh’.

72. Enriquez

Enriquez is a Spanish-origin name meaning ‘son of Enrique’.

73. Fabroa

A word of Tagalog origin and a variant of Fabro, this last name means ‘lucky’.

74. Facundo

Facundo is a popular Filipino surname derived from a 4th-century martyr of Leon, who was commemorated at San Facundo. The surname means ‘talkative’.

75. Fernandez

A popular and common Filipino surname, Fernandez, is Spanish for ‘son of Fernando’.

76. Galura

Derived from the Sanskrit word garuda, this surname refers to a mythical bird in Hindu, Jain and Buddhist mythology.

77. Galvez

The Filipino surname Galvez means ‘triumphant’.

78. Guinto

This surname is derived from the Tagalog word ginto, meaning ‘gold’.

79. Hermedilla

Hermedilla was the name that was given to those hailing from the Batangas province of Southern Tagalog at the time of the Spanish rule.

80. Halili

Halili is derived from Tagalog, and it refers to ‘successor’.

81. Ilagan

This Filipino last name refers to ‘islet lake’.

82. Labrador

Often associated with the patron saint of farmers, San Isidro Labrador, this name means ‘work’ or ‘labour’.

83. Lardizabal

This habitational name refers to the people originating from Lardizabal Palace.

84. Laxamana

Derived from the Sanskrit word Laksamana, it means ‘admiral’ or ‘officer’.

85. Lualhati

This surname is derived from the Tagalog word luwalhati, which means ‘glory’.

86. Macalipay

It is Cebuano or Hiligaynon for ‘comfort’ or ‘pleasant’.

87. Magasaysay

Magasaysay is Cebuano for ‘to relate’ or ‘to narrate’.

88. Magindara

It is the name of a demigoddess and a mythical mermaid in the Philippines.

89. Manug

This traditional Filipino surname is often used by those residing in Mnaug, Visayas or Mindanao, Philippines.

90. Marohom

Originating from Maranao, this Filipino surname means ‘of the Sultan’, in terms of the Sultan in the Maranao region.

91. Mendoza

Mendoza in Filipino means ‘cold mountain’. Brillante Mendoza is one famous surname bearer from the Philippines.

92. Morin

Morin means ‘dark’.

93. Oracion

Derived from the Spanish word oracion, this last name means ‘prayer’ or ‘sentence’.

94. Pabelico

It refers to ‘humblest’ and is derived from the word pabel, meaning ‘humble’.

95. Pacquiao

A name borne by the famous world boxing champion, Manny Pacquiao, it means ‘wholesale’ in Cebuano.

96. Pandoro

Pandoro is taken from the Greek mythological figure Pandora. It means ‘all gifts’.

97. Perez

Perez in Filipino means ‘to breach’.

98. Posadas

Posadas is an elegant last name meaning ‘resting place’ or ‘standstill’.

99. Radiomoda

Radiomoda was traditionally used as a title by Sultans. It means ‘young king’.

100. Reyes

It is derived from the Spanish word reyes, which refers to ‘kings’ or ‘royals’.

101. Salalila

A name referring to the Rajah of Maynila, this surname is a Sanskrit derivative of sarira, which means ‘body’.

102. Salazar

Salazar refers to an old Spanish dweller tribe that settled in the Philippines. The meaning of this surname is ‘old hall’.

103. Santos

It is derived from the Spanish word that means ‘saints’.

104. Salvador

Used widely in Filipino, Spanish, and Portuguese regions, this popular Christian name means ‘saviour’.

105. Suarez

Commonly used in the Philippines and Latin America, Suarez means ‘son of Suero’.

106. Sulu

A habitational name that refers to persons from the sea in the Philippines.

107. Sumulong

Sumulong comes from Tagalog origins, and it refers to ‘to advance’ or ‘to progress’.

108. Tanglao

Derived from the Tagalog word tanglaw, this surname means ‘illumination’ or ‘light’.

109. Tatlonghari

This surname is derived from a Tagalog word which means ‘three kings’. It refers to the biblical Magi.

110. Tibayan

It comes from the Tagalog word for ‘to strengthen’ or ‘to secure’.

111. Timbol

Timbol in Filipino means ‘floating’.

112. Tolentino

It is derived from the name of a town in Italy.

113. Torres

Torres is an Italian word meaning ‘tower’.

114. Trinidad

This surname means ‘trinity’ and refers to the Holy Trinity in Spanish.

115. Urrutia

This stylish and popular last name means ‘isolated’.

116. Valencia

The meaning of Valencia is ‘health’. The great Queen of Spain, Queen Valencia, bears this name.

117. Valmorida

A mix of Spanish and Japanese words val, i.e. ‘valley’, mor, i.e. ‘forest’ and ta, i.e. ‘field’, this surname means ‘valley of the forest field’.

118. Valle

The name Valle means ‘valley’ and it is a habitational surname used by people living in a valley.

119. Velasco

A derivative of the medieval name Belasco, this habitational name is used by persons of Velasco in Logrono, Soira, and Seville.

120. Veluz

Veluz is a popular last name in the Philippines that means ‘visible brightness’.

Filipino surnames originate from numerous traditional languages and regions and are a depiction of the rich culture and geography of the country. Used over centuries, across different parts of the world, these fascinating surnames have native roots and meanings.

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