Show ContentsDiego History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The distinguished surname Diego comes from Spain, a country rich in culture and history. 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 the most common patronymic suffix is "ez."

Early Origins of the Diego family

The surname Diego was first found in Castile, where the name originated in Visigothic times.

Early History of the Diego family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Diego research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1056 and 1233 are included under the topic Early Diego History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diego Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Díaz, Diaz, Didaz, Díez, Diez, Diz and many more.

Early Notables of the Diego family

Prominent among members of the family were Gonzalo Didaz, son of a Castilian count, whose name appears in a document dated 921; Asur Díaz, Count of Saldaña in 1056; Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, "El Cid", the legendary hero of the Reconquest; Lope Díaz...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Diego Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diego Ranking

In the United States, the name Diego is the 7,545th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Diego is ranked the 8,971st most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. 2


United States Diego migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Diego Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • M Diego, aged 25, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1831 3
  • Maria DelCarmen Diego, who landed in Texas in 1835 3
  • Antonio Diego, who landed in Nombre de Dios, Panama in 1835 3
  • Jose De Diego, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1853 3
  • Manuel De Diego, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1858 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Diego (post 1700) +

  • Juan Diego Ruiz Moreno (1942-2022), professionally known as Juan Diego, a Spanish multiple award winning actor, known for Los hombres de Paco (2005), El triunfo (2006) and Cabeza de Vaca (1991); he appeared in over 140 films
  • Alex Diego Tejado (b. 1985), Mexican footballer
  • Juan Diego Covarrubias Aceves (b. 1987), Mexican actor
  • Geoff Diego Litherland (b. 1979), Mexican-born, British geologist, son of Martin Litherland
  • Carlos Diego Mesa Gisbert (b. 1953), former President of Bolivia (2003 to 2005)
  • Manuel Diego Tello Jorge (b. 1984), Spanish footballer
  • Fabián Diego Pumar (b. 1976), Uruguayan football defender
  • J Diego Vigil, American professor in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society, at the University of California, Irvine
  • Edward Diego Reyes, American Democratic Party politician, Colonel in U.S. Air Force; Lieutenant Governor of Guam, 1983-86 4
  • Diego Tenorio Benavente (b. 1959), Northern Mariana Islands politician, 6th Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands (2002-2006)

Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. Domingo  Diego (1896-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 5


  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. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance


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