Castellanos
A Spanish surname meaning “people from the castles” or, more loosely, “from Castile,” often marking geographic or regional origin.
The #1,138 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 10,005 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Castellanos is the plural Spanish form of castellano, a word ultimately related to Latin castellum, meaning “castle” or “fort.” As a surname, it most likely began as a regional or descriptive name for people associated with castles, castle dwellers, or someone from Castile. In some cases it may simply reflect the adjective used as a group identifier rather than a literal reference to a single castle.
History
The surname is well established in the Spanish-speaking world and appears in historical Spanish onomastic works on surnames. Its plural form is common in Iberian surnames and can reflect an ancestral group designation or family origin story. It later spread widely through Spain and Spanish America, and today it is especially common in Hispanic populations.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because castellano also became the word for the Spanish language itself, the surname can evoke both a place of origin and a broader Castilian identity.
From the historical record
“CASTELLANOS Y VASCONGADOS LUIS DE SALAZAR ORIGEN DE 300 APELLIDOS CASTELLANOS V VASCONGADOS Estudio al que preceden algunos comentarios al libro”
— Origen de 300 apellidos castellanos y vascongadosNotable people named Castellanos
- Rosario Castellanos (1924–1974)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.