Ortega History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Spain

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The mountainous borders of Spain contain the origins of the prestigious surname Ortega. 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 as early as the mid-9th century and were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins.

Early Origins of the Ortega family

The surname Ortega was first found in Castile, in north central Spain. The name is thought to have been derived from the Latin urtica, which menas "nettle". Nettles are native to many places in Spain, especially in Castile, Andalusia and Murcia and in the New World in México and Latin America.

Early History of the Ortega family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ortega research. Another 198 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1095, 1492, 1570, 1701, 1702 and 1873 are included under the topic Early Ortega History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ortega Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ortega, Ortego, de Ortega, Hortega, de Hortega, Ortiga, Ortegal, Ortigal, Ortiguera, Ortigosa and many more.

Early Notables of the Ortega family

Prominent among members of the family

were Juan de Ortega, first Bishop of Almeria (after 1492)
eighteenth century Spanish painter Francisco Ortega
nineteenth century Mexican poet and politician Francisco Ortega
eighteenth century Archbishop of Mexico Juan Ortega Montáñez, who was named Viceroy and governed New Spain in 1701-1702
José María Ortega, nineteenth century Colombian patriot, who fought alongside Simón Bolívar for the independence of Colombia
nineteenth century Spanish writer Ramón Ortega y Frías
Fermín de Ortega Molina, created Marquis of San Fernando in 1873

Ortega Ranking

In the United States, the name Ortega is the 381^st most popular surname with an estimated 72,123 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Ortega is ranked the 1,228^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,567 people with that name. 2

Ortega migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ortega Settlers in United States in the 16th Century

Antón de Ortega, who sailed to America in 1511
Cristóbal de Ortega, went to America in 1512
Mayor de Ortega, went to America in 1516
Pedro de Ortega, settled in Venezuela in 1534
Juan de Ortega Tirado, who landed in Río de la Plata in 1535
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ortega Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Captain Francisco Ortega, who explored and charted the California coastline in the 1600s

Ortega Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Isabel De Ortega, who arrived in America in 1812 3
Francisco Ortega, who arrived in America in 1815 3
Mayor De Ortega, who landed in America in 1816 3
Cristobal De Ortega, who arrived in America in 1816 3
Thomas Ortega, aged 40, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ortega 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

Ortega Settlers in West Indies in the 16th Century

Diego de Ortega, who landed in Cuba in 1538

Contemporary Notables of the name Ortega (post 1700) +

Anthony Robert "Tony" Ortega (1928-2022), American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and flautist from Los Angeles, California
Oscar J Ortega, prominent American rancher
James Ortega, American engineering company executive
Deborah L Ortega, American government official
Blanca Rosa Ortega, American accountant and professor
Lorraine Ortega, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New Mexico, 1980 5
Juan Ortega, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 2004 5
John Ortega (b. 1941), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 2004, 2008 5
Danny Ortega Jr., American politician, Mayor of Douglas, Arizona, 2013 5
Daniel R. Ortega Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for Arizona, 1996; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arizona, 2000, 2004 5
... (Another 20 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)