Show ContentsHernando History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Hernando surname is a patronymic form, created from the personal name Fernando. [1] This is one of the most common surnames in Portugal. Fernandes is the 243rd most common surname in the world.

The name Hernando demonstrates the influence that Spanish often had on the Portuguese culture and surnames as it is composed of the Spanish words "faro" (journey, expedition) and "nano" (daring and brave). Combined, these two words may have been used a nickname surname; that is, as a surname that somehow describe a characteristic of its original bearer. Some think that this name may have been historically used by those engaged against the Moors.

Early Origins of the Hernando family

The surname Hernando was first found in Iberian peninsula. The name Hernando and its many variants were one of the most popular surnames in Medieval Portugal and Spain, and remains among the most common on the Iberian Peninsula today. The earliest known Portuguese record of the name notes that Diogo Fernandes Correia held the office of Administrator of Flanders for King John II.

Early History of the Hernando family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hernando research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1394, 1445, 1446, 1453, 1455, 1456, 1460, 1475, 1488, 1495, 1498, 1501, 1511, 1542, 1563, 1569, 1576, 1580, 1595, 1596, 1605, 1606, 1614, 1636, 1642, 1654 and 1667 are included under the topic Early Hernando History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hernando Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Fernant, Farrant, Hernando, Hernan, Hernanz, Fernando, Fernan, Fernao, Ferrao, Hernandez, Hernaez, Hernaiz, Fernandez, Ferrandez, Ferrandiz, Fernandes and many more.

Early Notables of the Hernando family

Prominent members of the family include António Fernandes, a Portuguese explorers of the early 15th century. He was raised in the household of Prince Henry "the Navigator" of Portugal (1394-1460), and lead expeditions to Africa. João Fernandes was another 15th century Portuguese explorer, of West Africa, where he was a pioneer of the European slave and gold trade, and...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hernando Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Hernando migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hernando Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Felipe Hernando, aged 33, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 [2]

Contemporary Notables of the name Hernando (post 1700) +

  • Jaime Hernando Garzon (1960-1999), Colombian journalist, a comedian and lawyer
  • Hernando De Soto Money (1839-1912), American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Winona, Mississippi, 1873-74; U.S. Representative from Mississippi, 1875-85, 1893-97; U.S. Senator from Mississippi, 1897-1911 [3]
  • Hernando de Soto (1866-1928), American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Warsaw, 1902-03; U.S. Consul in Warsaw, 1907-08, 1914-17; Riga, 1908-10; Palermo, 1910-14; Leipzig, 1921-26 [4]
  • Hernando DeSoto Money (1839-1912), American politician, United States Senator from Mississippi (1897-1911)
  • Hernando de Luque, Spanish priest who travelled to the New World in the 16th century
  • Hernando Osorio (b. 1953), Colombian painter and print-maker
  • Hernando Holguín Cruz (b. 1913), Colombian banker
  • Hernando de la Calle, lawyer and novelist in Colombia
  • Hernando João da Silva Ramos (b. 1925), French-born, Brazilian Formula One race car driver
  • Hernando de Acuña (1520-1580), Spanish poet


  1. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  2. 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)
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2017, April 12) Hernando Soto. Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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