Show ContentsPeraza History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Peraza

What does the name Peraza mean?

The notable surname Peraza is a proud sign of a rich and ancient Spanish ancestry. 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." The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries are widespread in most European countries. In the Middle Ages, they became increasingly popular because people believed that the souls of the deceased continued to be involved in this world. They named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint.

Early Origins of the Peraza family

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

Early History of the Peraza family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peraza research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1155, 1168, 1227, 1236, 1309, 1570, 1606, 1628, 1634, 1642, 1670, 1693 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Peraza History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peraza Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Pérez, Perez, Pédriz, Pedriz, Périz, Periz, Pétrez, Petrez, Pétriz, Petriz, Pédrez, Pedrez and many more.

Early Notables of the Peraza family

Prominent among members of the family was the legendary Castilian heroine María Pérez who, disguised as a man, fought against and defeated the Aragonese King Alfonso I and later married a Castilian prince; Pelayo Pérez de Fromesta, a knight of Castile in 1155; Count Alvar Pérez de Lara, tutor to the young King Alfonso VIII in 1168; Gutierre Pérez de Reynoso, ambassador of Alfonso VIII to the King of England; Ferran Peres Pardo, a knight of the order of Santiago; Alvar Pérez, who in 1227 was betrothed to a daughter of the King of Navarre; Rodrigo Pérez de Tapiola received a...
Another 145 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Peraza Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peraza Ranking

In the United States, the name Peraza is the 8,109th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


Peraza migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Peraza Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Isabel Peraza, who landed in America in 1811 2
  • Ines Peraza, who arrived in America in 1812 2
  • Asa Peraza, who landed in Peru in 1854 2
  • Agustin Peraza, aged 30, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1857 2
  • Jose Peraza, aged 40, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1857 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Peraza (post 1700) +

  • Tamara Larrea Peraza (b. 1973), Cuban gold and silver medalist beach volleyball player at the 2003 and 2007 Pan American Games
  • Armando Peraza (1924-2014), born in Lawton Batista, Havana, Cuban Latin jazz percussionist and member of the rock band Santana 3
  • Oswald José Peraza (b. 1962), Venezuelan Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles in 1988
  • Enrique Caballero Peraza (b. 1959), Mexican politician, physician and psychologist
  • Cosme de la Torriente y Peraza (1872-1956), Cuban soldier, politician, lawyer and statesman, President of the League of Nations from 1923 until 1924
  • Carlos Enrique Castillo Peraza (1947-2000), Mexican journalist and politician, President of the National Action Party (1993–1996), recipient of the Belisario Domínguez Medal of Honor in 2007


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  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. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists


Houseofnames.com on Facebook