Correa
A surname that usually began as a nickname or occupational name for someone linked to leather straps, belts, or reins.
The #905 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 8,076 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Correa comes from the Iberian word for a leather strap, belt, thong, or rein. The underlying sense is something cut from cured leather and used to bind, fasten, or harness. As a surname, it most likely began as a metonymic occupational name for a maker or seller of straps and leather goods, or as a nickname connected with such items.
History
The name is well established in Spain and Portugal and later spread widely through the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking world. It is also common in Latin America, where many surnames of Iberian origin became widespread through colonial migration. The form is relatively transparent and has remained stable in spelling.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older Spanish, correa could refer not only to a belt or strap, but also to parts of harnesses and other leather fittings used for horses and carts.
From the historical record
“Corrales. Plural del anterior. Correa. La tira larga i delgada de cuero que sirve para atar o ceñir alguna cosa. ' Gorreal. La piel curtida con que $e hacen correas. «orrido. Que excede del peso o medida. Avergonzado”
— Diccionario de los apellidos