Del Real
A Spanish-style surname meaning “of the royal” or “from the royal place,” likely tied to a place name or descriptive byname.
The #7,701 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 71,618 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Del Real is a Spanish surname formed from the preposition del, meaning “of the,” and real, which can mean “royal” or refer to something royal in character. In surname use, it most likely began as a locational or status-based byname for someone from a place called El Real, or for someone associated with a royal estate or royal service. The literal sense is therefore “of the royal [place/service].”
History
Surnames with del + a noun or place name are common in Spanish-speaking regions, and Del Real fits that pattern. It is found in Hispanic and Latino communities, especially in areas with Spanish colonial and Mexican heritage. The name may arise independently in more than one family line from different places called Real.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Real is also a common element in Spanish place names, so this surname may point to a family’s original connection with a town, district, or estate called Real.