Show ContentsMoreno History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

From the historical and enchanting region of Spain emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Moreno 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.

Early Origins of the Moreno family

The surname Moreno was first found in Castile, prominent among the Christian kingdoms of medieval Spain.

Early History of the Moreno family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moreno research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1203, 1596 and 1655 are included under the topic Early Moreno History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moreno Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Moreno, Morenos, Morena, Murena, Moratín, Moratin and many more.

Early Notables of the Moreno family

Prominent among members of the family

  • were Miguel Moreno (1596-1655), a Golden Age Spanish poet and writer
  • 18th century Spanish military officer Vicente Moreno Romero
  • 18th century Spanish composer Juan Moreno y Polo
  • 18th century Spanish naval officer Juan Joaquín Moreno
  • 19th century Argentinian chemist Manuel Moreno
  • 19th century Spanish politician José Moreno de Guerra y Navarro
  • 19th century Argentinian diplomat and lawyer Mariano Moreno
  • 19th century Argentinian naval officer and diplomat Hilarión Moreno
  • 19th century Argentinian statesman José María Moreno
  • 19th century Spanish politician and law professor José Moreno Nieto

Moreno World Ranking

In the United States, the name Moreno is the 247th most popular surname with an estimated 106,941 people with that name. [1] However, in France, the name Moreno is ranked the 419th most popular surname with an estimated 10,190 people with that name. [2] And in South America, the name Moreno is the 43rd popular surname with an estimated 92 people with that name. [3]


United States Moreno migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Moreno Settlers in United States in the 16th Century
  • Alonso Moreno, who sailed to America in 1511
  • Francisco Moreno, who sailed to America in 1513
  • Juan Moreno, who sailed to New Spain in 1534 with his nephew Francisco
  • Sebastián Moreno, who sailed to New Spain in 1538 with his sons Alonso and Gonzalo
  • Pedro Moreno moved to Colombia in 1552
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Moreno Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jose Moreno, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1802 [4]
  • Pablo Moreno, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1804 [4]
  • Pero Moreno, who landed in America in 1810 [4]
  • Anton Moreno, who arrived in America in 1813 [4]
  • Bartolome Moreno, who landed in America in 1813 [4]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Moreno 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. [5]
Moreno Settlers in West Indies in the 19th Century
  • Juan Moreno, who landed in Dominican Republic in 1836 [4]

Contemporary Notables of the name Moreno (post 1700) +

  • Rita Moreno (b. 1931), award-winning Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • Pablo "Paul" Cruz Moreno (1931-2017), American politician, State Representative for the 77th District of El Paso, Texas
  • Zerka Toeman Moreno (1917-2016), Dutch-born American psychotherapist, co-identifier of psychodrama
  • Carlos "Buddy" Moreno (1912-2015), American musician and radio personality
  • Knowshon Rockwell Moreno (b. 1987), American NFL football running back
  • Antonio "Tony" Moreno (1887-1967), American actor and film director of the silent film era
  • Mariano Díez Moreno (1949-2022), Spanish politician, member of the People's Alliance, he served in the Cortes of Castilla–La Mancha from 1983 to 1987, President of the Provincial Deputation of Toledo from 1987 to 1991
  • Andrés Navarro Moreno (1938-2021), Spanish boxer who competed in the men's welterweight event at the 1960 Summer Olympics
  • Benjamín Moreno Márquez (1955-2020), Spanish footballer who played as striker
  • Matilde Moreno, Spanish actress
  • ... (Another 23 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


Suggested Readings for the name Moreno +

  • Our Family, Facts and Fancies: The Moreno and Related Families by Regina Moreno Kirchoff Mandrell.

  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. "List of most common surnames in South America." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_South_America
  4. 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)
  5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies


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