Magdaleno
A surname drawn from the name Magdalene, ultimately linked to Mary Magdalene and the place name Magdala.
The #4,461 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 38,807 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Magdaleno is a Spanish surname formed from the personal name Magdaleno, the masculine counterpart of Magdalena. That name ultimately goes back to Mary Magdalene, the New Testament figure identified with Magdala, a place on the Sea of Galilee; the underlying root is commonly taken to mean “of Magdala” or “from Magdala.” In surname use, it is usually a hereditary form adopted from a given name rather than a direct place-name surname.
History
The surname is most common in Spanish-speaking communities, especially in Latin America and among people of Mexican heritage. As with many Spanish surnames built from saints’ or biblical names, it likely began as a family-name form of a given name and later became hereditary. In the United States it remains relatively uncommon but is clearly established.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it comes from a biblical female name, Magdaleno is one of the many surnames that preserve a saintly or devotional naming tradition in Spanish.