Juan
A Spanish and wider Romance surname and given-name-based family name from Juan, the Spanish form of John.
The #4,808 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,006 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Juan is the Spanish form of John, ultimately from Latin Johannes and Greek Iōannēs, from Hebrew Yehochanan meaning “God is gracious.” As a surname, it usually began as a patronymic, identifying someone as “son of Juan” or belonging to a Juan family line. In Spanish-speaking areas, surnames from common given names are widespread and often straightforward in origin.
History
The name Juan has been common across the Spanish-speaking world for centuries, so the surname could arise independently in multiple places from different ancestors named Juan. In some cases it may also reflect Iberian naming habits where a personal name becomes a hereditary family name. Outside the Hispanic world, it is relatively uncommon as a surname and is often read as a Spanish-language name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because Juan is such a basic Spanish first name, the surname may have arisen more than once and is not necessarily tied to a single original family.
From the historical record
“DrMr.HBBald'ghaiue.<6c.: ibiCp-Ist. 1704. Hauicd— Juan Record and Jane^vuis : St. C«>. Han. Sq. il. 118. Landon,5; BHIon(U.S.), 4. Hedbeard. — Nick, 'with the”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances