Show ContentsVarella History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Varella

What does the name Varella mean?

The illustrious Spanish and Portuguese surname Varella is a proud sign of a rich and ancient heritage. The surname Varella had its origins in a toponym, that is, taken from the name of one of places so named in Spain. Etymologically the word "Varella" comes from the Spanish "vara", with the diminutive suffix "-ela", giving the meaning of "small rod."

Early Origins of the Varella family

The surname Varella was first found in Andalucia, Spain. It is here that the original family coat of arms was recorded. Today Florencio Varela, is a city in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, José Pedro Varela, is a city in Lavalleja, Uruguay, Los Varela, is a village and municipality in Argentina and Ponte da Varela, is a bridge in Aveiro District, Portugal.

Early History of the Varella family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Varella research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1540, 1568, 1574, 1580, 1598, 1608, 1616, 1622, 1632, 1645, 1845, 1878 and 1879 are included under the topic Early Varella History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Varella Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Varella include Varela, Varala, Varella and others.

Early Notables of the Varella family

was Francisco Varela (c. 1580-1645), a Spanish Baroque painter. Born in Seville, today his works are very scarce, but we do know there are two representations of the Last Supper, one of them made in 1622, and the other appears in the Museum of Fine Arts of Seville. His Portrait of Martinez...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Varella Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Varella migration to the United States +



Varella Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Vincenzo Varella, aged 9, Italian settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Paraguay" in 1869 1
  • Fabrizio Varella, aged 55, Italian settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Villie de Merseille" in 1881 1
  • Francesco Varella, aged 21, Italian settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Villie de Merseille" in 1881 1
  • Fulgencio Varella, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1883 2
  • Georg Varella, aged 29, Hungarian settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Saale" in 1892 1
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Varella Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Teodorof Varella, aged 38, Italian settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Marco Minghetti" in 1902 1
  • Manuel H. Varella, aged 21, Portuguese settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Notice" in 1902 1
  • Bernardo Varella, aged 26, Portuguese settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Notice" in 1902 1
  • Antonio Varella, aged 22, Portuguese settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Notice" in 1902 1
  • Christina Varella, aged 49, Portuguese settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Notice" in 1902 1
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Varella migration to Australia +

Varella Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Nicola Varella, (Nichola, Varalla, Baralla), (b. 1816), aged 22, English music master who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for life for manslaughter, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 25th June 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1870 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Varella (post 1700) +

  • Donald D. Varella, American Republican politician, Candidate for Texas State House of Representatives 116th District, 1996 4
  • Regina Lúcia Palhano Braga Varella (b. 1945), Brazilian actress
  • Ricardo Mion Varella Costa (b. 1982), Brazilian footballer who played as a striker
  • Antônio Drauzio Varella (b. 1943), Brazilian doctor, educator, scientist and medical science popularizer in the press and TV, and best-selling author
  • Dora Varella (b. 2001), Brazilian professional skateboarder who has competed in women's park events at several World Skateboarding Championships, finishing 15th in 2018 and sixth in 2019


  1. Ellis Island Search retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  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. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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