Ornelas
A Spanish and Portuguese surname most likely tied to a place-name, probably meaning someone from a locality called Ornelas.
The #1,568 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 13,442 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Ornelas is a surname of Iberian origin, most likely locational, referring to a person from a place called Ornelas. In Portuguese and Spanish naming traditions, surnames like this often began as identifiers for someone who came from a particular village, estate, or district. The place-name itself may be linked to a local plant name or landscape term, but the exact root is not certain from general evidence alone.
History
The surname is especially associated with Portugal and with Portuguese-speaking communities, and it also appears in Spain and in the Americas through migration. Like many Iberian locational surnames, it became hereditary as family names stabilized over time. It is now found among descendants of Portuguese and Spanish settlers and their diaspora communities, including in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The related spelling Ornellas is a well-known Portuguese variant, especially in records from Madeira and other Lusophone areas.