Show ContentsSantiago History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The mountainous borders of Spain contain the origins of the prestigious surname Santiago. The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Spain were the patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. Spanish patronymic names emerged in the mid-9th century and were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins.

Early Origins of the Santiago family

The surname Santiago was first found in Galicia, an important Christian kingdom of medieval Spain.

Early History of the Santiago family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Santiago research. Another 345 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 1037, 1085 and 1139 are included under the topic Early Santiago History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Santiago Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Santiago, de Santiago, Santyago, de Santyago, Sandiego, San Diego, San Jaime, Yago, Yagüe, Yague, Yagües, Yagues, Yáguez and many more.

Early Notables of the Santiago family

Prominent among members of the family

  • eighteenth century Spanish painter, writer and paleographer Francisco Javier de Santiago Palomares

Santiago Ranking

In the United States, the name Santiago is the 308th most popular surname with an estimated 87,045 people with that name. [1] However, in France, the name Santiago is ranked the 3,921st most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. [2]


United States Santiago migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Santiago Settlers in United States in the 16th Century
  • Pedro de Santiago, who sailed to America with his daughter Catalina in 1514
  • García de Santiago, who settled in America in 1514
  • Melchor Santiago, settled in Río de la Plata in 1535
  • Ana de Santiago, moved to New Spain in 1577
  • Luis de Santiago, who settled in Peru in 1592
Santiago Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Manuel Santiago, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1803 [3]
  • Pedro De Santiago, who landed in America in 1811 [3]
  • Garcia De Santiago, who landed in America in 1814 [3]
  • Juan Jose Santiago, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1816 [3]
  • Migl Santiago, aged 22, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1825 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Santiago (post 1700) +

  • Mike Santiago (1955-2023), American head football coach at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) from 1999 to 2004, and the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) from 2009 through 2011
  • Ezequiel Santiago (1973-2019), American politician, Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives (2009-2019)
  • Nellie R. Santiago, American politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 2000; Republican Candidate for New York State Senate 17th District, 2002
  • Marwill Santiago, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wisconsin, 2008
  • Jose L. Santiago, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Massachusetts State House of Representatives Sixteenth Essex District, 2002
  • Jose Santiago, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention from Oakland County 4th District, 1961
  • Hilda Santiago, American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for Connecticut, 1996
  • Gladys Santiago, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 2000 (alternate), 2004
  • Alexander Santiago, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Hawaii, 2004
  • Richard Santiago Rodríguez (b. 1970), Puerto Rican bronze medalist boxer at the 1991 Pan American Games
  • ... (Another 16 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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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