Guaman
A surname most often found in the Andes, especially Ecuador, likely reflecting an indigenous or Hispanicized local family name.
The #9,461 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 89,778 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Guaman is most likely a Hispanicized surname from an Indigenous Andean name, especially from Kichwa/Quechua-speaking areas of Ecuador and nearby regions. In many cases it is connected with the Quechua/Kichwa word for 'hawk' or 'falcon' (often written huaman or waman in related forms), though the exact route into the modern surname can vary by family line. Because the name has been used in several local and regional traditions, a single fixed derivation cannot be stated with full confidence.
History
The surname is especially associated with Ecuadorian Andean communities and appears in Latin American records in both indigenous and Spanish orthographies. It is also familiar from notable Andean historical and cultural figures, including Guaman Poma de Ayala, whose name preserves an older colonial-era spelling tradition. Modern usage is strongly regional and is often a marker of Andean heritage.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older Spanish documents, the same underlying name may appear with different spellings because Spanish writers often adapted Indigenous sounds in several ways.