Novoa
A Spanish surname most often linked to a place-name meaning “new land” or “new farm.”
The #7,756 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 72,120 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Novoa is a Hispanic surname likely formed from a place-name based on the Romance root for “new,” ultimately from Latin novus, meaning “new.” In Spanish and related Iberian languages, forms like nueva/novo can appear in place-names referring to a new settlement, newly cleared land, or a newly established farm. As a surname, it most likely began as a locational name for someone from such a place.
History
The surname is especially associated with the Iberian Peninsula, including Galicia and nearby regions where similar place-names are common. It later spread to the Americas through Spanish and Portuguese migration. Modern bearers are found chiefly in Spanish-speaking communities, with notable concentrations in Latin America and among diaspora populations.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it comes from the same Latin root as English words like “novel” and “novice,” the name carries the basic idea of something new or newly made.