Callejas
A Spanish surname most likely tied to a word for a street, lane, or small road.
The #8,665 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 81,420 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Callejas is a Spanish surname built on calle, meaning “street” or “road,” with the ending -jas reflecting a plural or diminutive-shaped form. In older Spanish usage, calleja could mean a small street, lane, or narrow passage. As a surname, it likely began as a name for someone who lived by such a place or came from a settlement marked by lanes or streets.
History
The name is found in Spanish-speaking regions and later spread to Latin America through migration. Because it is formed from a very common Spanish topographic word, it may have arisen independently in more than one place. Modern bearers of the surname are especially associated with Spanish and Hispanic American communities.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same root calle appears in many Spanish place names and everyday expressions, not just surnames.
From the historical record
“Calle. Camino entre dos hilas de casas Callejas. Callejuelas. Fuga de la justicia i voz de la jer- manía. Calles. Plural de calle. Cámara. Sala o pieza principal. Ayuntamiento. Cuerpo”
— Diccionario de los apellidos