Show ContentsFiguera History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Figuera is derived from the Latin word 'ficus,' meaning 'fig,' and in many cases, is thought to be an occupational name, which would have been given to a person who grew or sold figs. It could also have served a person who lived near fig trees. For these reasons, this name, or variants of it can be found throughout the Iberian peninsula, over other southern regions of Europe that used a Romantic language.

Early Origins of the Figuera family

The surname Figuera was first found in Portugal and throughout the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in the Spanish provinces of Galicia and Asturias.

It is generally believed that during Don Fernando de Castro's time (c. 1380-1440), Gonçalo Figueira went to Portugal, who some authors say was called Gonçalo Figueiroa in Spain.

He ventured to Portugal in the company of the Count of Castro Xerez and Don Fernando de Castro, who when he left for England, left a son to him to care for. The son was a citizen of Lisbon and from his marriage he had two children, through whom his surname spread. 1

Later, early evidence of the name Figuera can also be found in a settlement near Coimbro where the earliest individual on record is Gonzalo Garcia de Figueredo, who held the title of Lord of Micleira and was tutor to the infant Don Juan de Portugal in the 16th century.

Early History of the Figuera family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Figuera research. Another 245 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1485, 1486, 1509, 1557, 1619, 1647, 1649, 1678, 1720, 1740, 1741, 1782, 1792, 1833 and 1835 are included under the topic Early Figuera History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Figuera Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Figuero, Figuera, Higueros, Higuera, Figueiredo, Higueiredo, Figueros, Figueiredos, Figueras, Higuero and many more.

Early Notables of the Figuera family

Prominent members of the family include Luis de Guzmán y Figueroa, a Spanish soldier who served as 14th Governor of New Mexico from 1647 to 1649. Pedro de Castro y Figueroa y Salazar, 1st Duke of la Conquista, 1st Marquess of Gracia Real, KOS, OSJ (1678-1741) was a Spanish military officer and Viceroy of New Spain (1740-1741.) Archbishop Francisco Ramón Herboso y Figueroa (c. 1720-1782), born in Lima, Peru. He was the archbishop of La...
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Figuera Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Figuera migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Figuera Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jose Figuera, aged 28, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1829 2


  1. De Faria, Antonio Machado. Armorial lusitano: genealogia e heráldica. Lisboa, 1961. Print
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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