Alicea
A surname of likely patronymic origin, generally understood as a Spanish-language form related to the given name Alicia/Alisa.
The #2,917 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 25,128 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Alicea is usually explained as a surname formed from a personal name, most likely the Spanish feminine name Alicia, ultimately from the Latinized form of Alice/Alix tradition and the older Germanic name family behind English Alice. In Spanish-speaking naming practice, surnames can arise from given names through local surname formation and regional spelling development, so Alicea is best treated as a name tied to a first-name source rather than a place or occupation. The exact pathway is not fully secure, but the name is generally associated with Puerto Rican and broader Hispanic usage.
History
The surname is especially common in Puerto Rico and among Puerto Rican families in the diaspora, where it appears as an established hereditary surname. Its modern distribution suggests regional Spanish-Caribbean development rather than recent importation from mainland Spain. Because it is relatively uncommon and not heavily documented in older surname dictionaries, its precise origin remains somewhat uncertain.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In the U.S. census, Alicea is strongly associated with Puerto Rican ancestry and is far more concentrated regionally than many older European surnames.