Santa Cruz
A Spanish surname meaning “Holy Cross,” originally a place name or devotional name.
The #4,300 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 37,360 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Santa Cruz is a Spanish phrase meaning “holy cross” or “saintly cross,” ultimately from Latin sancta crux. As a surname, it usually began as a locational name for someone from a place called Santa Cruz, or as a devotional surname referring to the Christian Cross. In Spanish naming practice, it is typically written as two words, though it may appear fused in records outside Spain and Latin America.
History
The name is widely found in Spain and across the Spanish-speaking world, especially in regions with towns, parishes, or landmarks named Santa Cruz. It also spread through the Americas during the colonial period and later migrations. In English-language records, it is sometimes compressed into one word as Santacruz.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Santa Cruz is one of the most common place-name surnames in the Spanish world, and it can point either to a birthplace or to a religious devotion rather than to a family trait.