Vara History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Vara surname derives from a few distinct sources. In some instances, it was a habitational name, taken on from a place name such as Vara (Galicia), Vara del Rey (Cuenca), or La Vara (Asturies). Other instances of the name come from the Spanish word "vara," meaning "rod," or "stick," or "yardstick." As such, it may have originally been a nickname or occupational name for someone who used a stick in the keeping of animals, or perhaps for someone who used a stick as a way of checking weights and measures.
Early Origins of the Vara family
The surname Vara was first found in Castile, with a branch of the family later settling in Aragon. The Vara del Ray variant originates in one of the two places named Vara de Rey, located in the provinces of Cuenca and Albacete, Spain.
Early History of the Vara family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vara research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1800, 1824, 1840, 1857, 1877 and 1891 are included under the topic Early Vara History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Vara Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Vara, Varas and others.
Early Notables of the Vara family
Notable bearers of the family name Vara
- Rodrigo Vara, listed in the "Archivo General Militar de Segovia" in the artillery regiment; Manuel Vara Alvarez, a member of the same unit in 1877. Bernardo Vara and Jacinto Vara de Rey Rubio were mem...
- One of the earliest references to the Vara de Ray variant is Joaquin Vara de Rey, who entered the Cavalry Regiment of the Royal Army in the year 1800, while Alfredo Vara de Rey y Rubio joined the Infa...
Vara Ranking
In the United States, the name Vara is the 11,608th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1
Vara migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Vara Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Garcia Vara, who landed in America in 1811 2
- Enrique Maria Vara, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1836 2
- Dononeck Vara, aged 23, Swedish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Sheridan" in 1852 3
- Sarah Vara, aged 36, Swedish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Sheridan" in 1852 3
- Sarah Vara, aged 36, Swedish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Sheridan" in 1852 3
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Vara (post 1700) +
- Rudy Vara, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 1988 4
- Arthur G. Vara Sr., American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Erie County 8th District, 1954 4
- Lydia de la Vara, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arizona, 1972 5
- Vara Cerna (1938-2008), Czech athlete, she competed in the women's shot put at the 1960 Summer Olympics
The Vara Motto +
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Veritas Vincit
Motto Translation: Truth conquers
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Ellis Island Search retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html