Surname Carvajal - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Carvajal: What does the surname Carvajal mean?
The surname Carvajal is of Spanish origin and is primarily found in Spain and Hispanic America. The name is derived from 'Carbajal,' a place name in Spain, specifically from a location in the province of León. The place name itself is believed to have derived from the Latin word "carbārius," which means coal man, thus indicating a possible connection to occupational activities relating to the production or selling of charcoal or coal. The surname might have originated to denote someone who hailed from Carbajal, or possibly had a profession connected to coal. Its variant forms include Carbajal, Carvagal, and Carabajal. Notably, there is also a noble house of Carvajal in Spain.
Order DNA origin analysisCarvajal: Where does the name Carvajal come from?
The last name Carvajal originates from Spain, specifically from a village in the province of Salamanca called "Carvajal." It is an habitational surname given to people originating from that area. The name Carvajal means "old pasture" in Spanish, deriving from the Latin roots "carbo" (oak) and "vallis" (valley). The Carvajal surname was widespread during Spanish colonization in the Americas, which is the primary reason for its prevalence in Latin American countries today.
Currently, Carvajal is common in Spain and Latin American countries, such as Mexico, Colombia, and Peru. It's particularly common in Costa Rica, where it ranks as the 6th most common surname. Notably, Carvajal is also found in the Sephardic Jewish communities due to Spanish Jews bearing that surname who were expelled during the Spanish Inquisition in the 15th century. These Jewish individuals and their descendants carried the name throughout the diaspora, including places like the United States and Israel. Thus, Carvajal has become a significant surname globally.
Variations of the surname Carvajal
The surname Carvajal is of Spanish origin. It is a geographical surname, derived from places named "Carvajal" in Spain, which are found mainly in Extremadura. The name derives from the Spanish words "carru", meaning cart, and "lar", meaning place, translating as 'place of carts'. Variants of Carvajal can include Latinized versions such as Carvajalis or Carvagialis. A Portuguese variant is Carvalhal.
Many Spanish surnames, including Carvajal, saw slight changes in spelling when families immigrated to the Americas. Some modified the name for easier pronunciation or assimilation. Therefore, in Mexico, Latin America, or the United States, it may be spelled as Carabajal, Carbajal, or Carbajale.
The surname Carvajal is quite prevalent and has been adopted by various families nobly associated with different kingdoms during the Reconquista in Spain. As such, it might not imply a genealogical connection between all people bearing it today. Despite these many variations and uses, all surnames ultimately lead back to one common root - the place of origin.
Famous people with the name Carvajal
- Dani Carvajal: A professional Spanish footballer playing for Real Madrid and Spain's national team.
- Luis de Carvajal: A 16th-century governor of New Kingdom of León in the colony of New Spain, modern Mexico. He was also an explorer and early Spanish settler in the Americas.
- Ciro Carvajal: A Venezuelan politician.
- Francisco Carvajal: Mexican lawyer and politician who served as president of Mexico in 1914.
- Martín Perfecto de Cos: His full surname is Cos y Carvajal, a 19th-century Mexican general.
- Manuel Carvajal: A Spanish naval officer and explorer who undertook expeditions in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
- Joe Carvajal: A Peruvian rock singer.
- Julia Carvajal: Mexican writer, her full name being Julia Carvajal y Saucedo.
- Eduardo Carvajal: A Colombian footballer.
- Jennifer Carvajal: An American singer and songwriter.
- Jose Carvajal: A Spanish professional basketball player.
- Diego Carvajal: Colombian professional cyclist.
- Danny Carvajal: A Costa Rican professional footballer.
- Hernán Carvajal: A Chilean footballer.
- Luisa Carvajal y Mendoza: A Spanish mystic and poet.
- Rubén Carvajal: Venezuelan professional baseball umpire.