Show ContentsCarrillo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

From the historical and enchanting region of Spain emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Carrillo family. Originally, the Spanish people were known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted in Spain is extremely interesting. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Often they adopted names that were derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The name Carrillo is a nickname type of surname for a person who was bold or shameless. Further research showed the name was derived from the Spanish word "carrillo," which means cheek.

Early Origins of the Carrillo family

The surname Carrillo was first found in Castile, one of the Christian kingdoms of medieval Spain.

Early History of the Carrillo family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Carrillo research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1244, 1625 and 1721 are included under the topic Early Carrillo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Carrillo Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Carrillo, Carriello, Carillo, Carril, Cariello and others.

Early Notables of the Carrillo family

Prominent among members of the family

  • were fifteenth century prelate Alonso Carrillo
  • Luis de Carrillo y Sotomayor, sixteenth century poet, literary critic and galley captain
  • seventeenth century Spanish historian Juan Carrillo
  • seventeenth century Viceroy of Mexico Diego Carrillo Mendoza
  • eighteenth century Mexican historian Ignacio Carrillo
  • nineteenth century Costa Rican statesman Braulio Carrillo
  • nineteenth century Cuban poet Isaac Carrillo y O'Farril
  • nineteenth century Spanish poet, novelist and playwright Maximino Carrillo de Albornoz
  • nineteenth century Venezuelan politician Cruz Carrillo

Carrillo Ranking

In the United States, the name Carrillo is the 675th most popular surname with an estimated 42,279 people with that name. [1] However, in France, the name Carrillo is ranked the 2,868th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. [2]


United States Carrillo migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Carrillo Settlers in United States in the 16th Century
  • Pedro Carrillo de Guzmán, to Peru in 1534
  • Francisco Carrillo, who sailed to Cartagena in 1534
  • Gonzalo Carrillo, traveled to Panama in 1535
  • Melchor Carrillo de Avila, went to New Spain in 1577
Carrillo Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Pedro Carrillo, who arrived in America in 1814 [3]
  • M P Del Carrillo, aged 18, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1827 [3]
  • Gonzalo Carrillo, who landed in America in 1828 [3]
  • Manuel Carrillo, aged 38, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 [3]
  • Pero Carrillo, who arrived in Peru in 1834 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Carrillo migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [4]
Carrillo Settlers in West Indies in the 16th Century
  • Juan Carrillo, who settled in Dominican Republic in 1535
Carrillo Settlers in West Indies in the 19th Century
  • Antonio Carrillo, who arrived in Dominican Republic in 1834 [3]
  • Juan Carrillo, who landed in Dominican Republic in 1835 [3]

Contemporary Notables of the name Carrillo (post 1700) +

  • Herman "H.G." Carrillo (1960-2020), Afro-Cuban American writer and Assistant Professor of English at George Washington University in Washington, D.C
  • José Arturo Carrillo, American Catholic priest and canon lawyer
  • Eduardo L Carrillo, American artist, muralist and educator
  • Juan José Carrillo (1842-1916), American politician, the first Chief of Police of Los Angeles, California (1872-1874), the first mayor of Santa Monica, California, and also a judge
  • Charles M. Carrillo (b. 1956), American artist, author, and archeologist
  • Santiago Carrillo (b. 1915), Spanish journalist and politician
  • Francisco Carrillo, Peruvian poet
  • Ramón Carrillo (1906-1956), Argentine neurosurgeon and neurobiologist
  • Julián Carrillo (1875-1965), Mexican composer and violinist
  • Carlos Carrillo Parodi, medical microbiologist, professor and founder of the University Cayetano in Peru

St. Francis Dam
  • Mrs. Maria DeJesus S. Carrillo, (nee Sandoval), Mexican born American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
  • Mr. Juan Carrillo, American resident in Santa Clarita who survived when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928 had injuries
  • Marguerite Carrillo, American resident in Santa Clarita who survived when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928 had injuries
  • Mr. Jose D. Carrillo, Mexican born American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
  • Matilde E. Carrillo, aged 11 Mexican born American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
  • ... (Another 5 entries 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)
  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies


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